The solstice curse
by dantemalfoy
Summary: During the longest night there's a moment for magic and hope, as Harry and Draco will find out. Written for the past Christmas challenge at slythindor100.
1. The Put-Outer

_**Author's note.** This was for **slythindor100** 's Christmas challenge picture prompts, which means there will be twenty-five chapters.  
_

_It will have angst and humour, and of course, NC-17 moments :)  
_

* * *

The thin man walked slowly, his boots trudging on the heavy snow that covered the sidewalk. He glanced up at the dim streetlight whilst his pale hand strayed to his forehead, brushing aside a lock of hair as white as the landscape.

He sighed wearily and tilted down his chin to stare at the snow. His black dragonhide boots contrasted sharply with the pristine winter scenery, lending a dash of life to the monotone white.

"Malfoy." The gruff voice beside him shook him out of his maudlin reverie. Draco shivered and fingered the cold metal of the magical device before taking it out of the pocket of his robes. In a mechanical gesture, the blond pointed it at the lamp and the dismally weak light flickered out, a gesture which reminded him of the countless times he was forced to extinguish the passion residing in his heart: gazing across the Hogwarts tables at Potter through the years, or looking on in helpless horror as Voldemort taunted Harry in the destroyed courtyard of Hogwarts.

He repeated the same economic motion until the other streetlights were darkened and dusk tinted everything grey. Then Draco puzzled his eyebrows at the Put-Outer and tossed it sideways.

"Hey, careful!" growled Ron, fumbling to catch the memento Dumbledore left him in his will.

"Sorry, Weasley," Draco said listlessly.

"Am not a bloody Seeker, you know!"

Sticking his gloved hands in the pockets of his woollen robes, Draco shrugged and cocked his head at the brick building in front of them. "I don't quite understand why you brought me here."

Ron squinted as the buildings opposite him shimmered, moving aside until 12 Grimmauld Place became visible. He huffed and a ghostly wreath of vapour escaped his lips. "Reckon it's easy to understand, Malfoy. If I don't act, my best mate will die."

* * *

_tbc_


	2. The Christmas pudding

"You said Potter might die?" Draco shuddered in the cold December day.

"Not if we can help it." Ron snuggled into the warmth of his mother's hand-knitted scarf and stepped towards the peeling door of Grimmauld Place, calling over his shoulder, "Hermione's working on the counter-curse."

Draco walked towards the house, angrily stomping on a snow pile in passing. He realised it was a bad idea when the snowflakes fluttering around his ankles gave him the unreal sensation of being inside a Christmas ornament. "Is that the reason why you lent me your Put-Outer? Some kind of ritual?"

"You would know about rituals, wouldn't you?" Ron mumbled, taking out his wand which he swished at the door. "You're quite the Curse-Breaker, Bill says."

"I recognised a pattern," Draco said simply. "You wouldn't lend me your cherished device unless it was important."

Before opening the door, Ron hunched his shoulders and said in a low voice, "I hope the house resonates to your magic and welcomes you because of the Black blood which runs thick through your veins."

"So, the house is giving you trouble?" said Draco, shuffling the thick soles of his boots against the frayed welcome mat.

Ron's voice was tinged with concern as he gripped the handle and twisted it. "No, Harry's the problem."

* * *

"Oi, mate, I'm here!"

"In the parlour, Ron!" Harry smiled weakly at the sound of his best friend's voice and looked up when he heard the approaching footsteps.

"Brought someone with me," Ron said.

"Who is it?" Harry put the Quidditch magazine on the table and peered at the gloomy threshold, his heart beating madly against his chest when he saw Malfoy's face. His cheeks were rosy with cold and the snow had frosted his white-blond hair with a winter garland of its own.

"Malfoy," Harry said tiredly, his gaze drinking the visage he had envisioned the moment he grabbed Voldemort and plunged into the abyss with him. As he grabbed Riddle's coarse woollen cloak, Harry had pictured his parents, Sirius, Remus, and Draco. The thought of Voldemort's smug face as he embraced Malfoy had fired him up with anger.

"Potter." Draco nodded at Harry, his gaze straying to the chandelier where holly garlands and gleaming silver streamers hung down forlornly.

Draco stuck his hands in the pockets of his robes, squinting at Harry. He had bulked up since the last time Draco saw him, right after graduating from Hogwarts. Harry was tanned if listless and Draco could see nothing really wrong with the fit Auror, except perhaps the dull strip of Spell-o-tape around the stem of his glasses.

Ron's face was puzzled in thought as he studied the former rivals like they were knights on a chess game which demanded all his ingenuity to win. The popping sound at his feet distracted him, announcing the arrival of the house-elf.

"Kreacher has put the pudding on the table." Rheumy blue eyes glinted up at Ron and when he saw Draco, the house-elf bowed low. Kreacher's wrinkled fingers played with the edge of the frayed tea-towel that hugged his bony hips whilst he mumbled, "Nice to see the young Malfoy master."

Draco shrugged carelessly.

"Let's have a bite, shall we?" Ron muttered as he walked towards the dining room. He had expected sparks to fly from the encounter of the Gryffindor and Slytherin whose famous rivalry was the stuff of legends at Hogwarts. He hadn't foreseen the lukewarm way the two would react. The problem was deeper than he thought.

* * *

Ron's mouth watered at the sight of the pudding, his nostrils flaring as he inhaled the rich spicy aroma which bespoke of Christmas days at the Burrow. The dark and crispy treacle of the crust contrasted very nicely with the sugary coat. It had bright green confectionery leaves upon it, lending it a decidedly Slytherin air. Ron didn't mind though, and by the looks of it, neither did Harry or Malfoy.

The two sat on opposite sides of the table, stealing glances at each other as they ate the plum pudding.

Draco waved his fork at the plate. "I must compliment you, Potter. The pudding is nicely aged and the cognac and sherry add an elegant touch which …"

"Didn't bake it myself, Draco," Harry said, heat stirring in his loins at the sight of Malfoy's pink tongue peeking from his pouty lips.

"It has charms! A small anchor." Draco peered down at the gleaming silver amongst the brown cake and smirked briefly at Ron. "Give my compliments to Mrs Weasley."

"Yeah, I will," Ron said shortly. He eyed the last portion of the pudding covetously and in his distraction, he didn't notice the popping sound of Kreacher disapparating.

* * *

The house-elf bowed low, his pointy nose almost touching the white marble floor. "Kreacher did as Mistress asked him to do. Served your pudding to the young masters!"

"That's quite nice, Kreacher," a smooth, cultured voice said.

Kreacher peered up timidly at the regal figure which rose from the chair, the black robes contrasting sharply against the alabaster neck and white-blond hair.

"I do hope we can save them," Narcissa Malfoy said determinedly. "Draco is so smart, but sometimes he can't see what is in front of him. My son never could when it had to do with Harry Potter."

* * *

_tbc_


	3. George's baubles

"Now that we've finished, perhaps you would like to explain things?" Draco wiggled his eyebrows at Ron.

"Sure," Ron glanced at Harry. "The reason why…"

A bright glow came from the walls, interrupting Ron's explanation. Harry's face lit up when he recognised Hermione's Patronus. The passage of the playful silvery otter through the parlour illuminated briefly a tree, bereft of Christmas cheer. Draco scrunched up his eyebrows when he saw it.

"Ron, could you please come over here? Something's come up." The otter waved its ghostly muzzle around the room. "Sorry, Harry and Malfoy, but I need to talk to him."

"Wait," said Ron, standing up. "How did you know Malfoy was here?"

Shaking his head, he grabbed a fistful of dried raisins from the bowl on the centre of the table. "Never mind, George probably told you." He smiled at Harry and cocked his head at the chimney. "Mind if I use your Floo?"

"Go ahead, Ron."

Ron walked up to the chimney, patting a huge carton box which stood by the hearth. "Careful of those Christmas baubles, Harry. George is testing a new product."

Harry shrugged when Draco lifted his eyebrow enquiringly.

When they were alone, he fidgeted on his chair, casting glances at Draco. "Reckon you want to know why Ron brought you here?"

"I wouldn't mind knowing," said Draco sharply.

"Well, the reason is really…"

Noticing Harry's tentativeness, Draco lifted his hand. "I see you haven't decorated it."

"Huh?"

Draco smirked and waved his hand at the tree. "Let's talk whilst we set it up." Groaning at Harry's befuddled expression, he added, "Always wanted to do it, but the house-elves beat me to it."

Harry went to the chimney to get George's box. Opening it casually, he noticed it was full with red and golden baubles. He squinted at them, imagining Draco's reaction at the Gryffindor colours.

"Come on, Potter, we don't have all day!" Draco said, fingering the soft needles of the tree.

"Fine," growled Harry, and then he cast a wandless spell that turned the golden baubles green to honour his guest.

Harry's explanation lasted until he hung the last red ornament.

"So Granger believes your magic is unstable?" Draco said. He worried his lip whilst he bent down to grab a green bauble.

"It's the only explanation." Harry pointed to the walls. "Like I told you, weird things happen around here when I have guests. Ron and I thought it was the magic of the house but last week, it started happening at work."

"What did Shacklebolt do?"

"I'm on light duty," Harry said, his shoulders drooping.

"You should've become a Curse-Breaker then." Draco reached his hand towards Harry and patted his back.

"Why?" Harry stepped back, glancing intently at the tree. The baubles were evenly spaced around it but there was a spot above the top of his head, the height of a troll's knee, which lacked any adornment.

"That job requires puzzling things out and brief spurts of intense magic." Draco shrugged. "This comes in handy because my magic is also acting up."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Harry said, hefting a shiny green bauble.

"Don't be," said Draco. "Mother thought it was my wand at first, but this continued when I used my old one after you gave it back. Thanks by the way."

Whilst Draco talked, Harry gazed at his reflection on the bauble and tried to flatten his unruly black hair.

"It was nothing," said Harry at last, heaving a deep sigh. He pointed at the tree. "There's that spot left."

"I'll conjure a ladder." Draco stuck his hand inside his pocket, ready to fish out his wand, but Harry held his arm.

"Don't do it!" he said urgently, "I told you magic goes weird around here."

Draco narrowed his eyes at Harry and then took out his wand, swishing it at the box. The ornaments flew up into the air and marched towards the tree, before settling down onto the top branches.

"Well, that was good."

"Sometimes my spells work, but then I go home and …" Draco trailed off and shrugged, putting his wand back in his pocket. "Unexpected things occur."

"We're two of a kind then," Harry said. He walked towards the box and looked down.

"I'm going to kill George!" growled Harry. "The bloody box is full again."

Draco shivered all over at Harry's heartfelt groan. He sauntered towards him and glanced down. The ornaments lay on neat rows, like the eggs of a particularly prolific owl. Smirking at Harry, he nudged his elbow and then drawled, "We could use them on our tree. What do you say to a trip to the Manor, Harry?"

* * *

_tbc_


	4. Tea with Narcissa

"This is Draco's study." Narcissa opened the door and ushered the two Gryffindors inside.

Hermione's eyes were wide with wonder as she took in the cosy fireside and the Christmas tree, gaily decorated with popcorn garlands and shiny baubles. She squinted at the bookshelves behind the tree which were filled with tomes she knew by heart, _'Ancient Egyptian Runes' _ by _T. Thoth Aler _amongst them.

"Who would've thought?" said Ron wonderingly, walking up towards the shelf whose colour contrasted sharply against the wreaths below and above it.

The portrait that presided over this holiday cheer, however, was busy sneering at the red candles below him. "This is why I loathe Christmas!" he grumbled, fingering his beard. "Meddlesome Muggle customs!"

Narcissa glared at him, crossing her arms. "Phineas Nigellus, I will have you know that…"

"Never mind, Narcissa, come closer," said the wizard imperiously.

Hermione nudged Ron's elbow and the two walked up to the table beside the desk. Ron shrugged and sat down, staring intently at the biscuits and scones which were on plates next to the teacups.

"Excuse me for the interruption," said Narcissa, sitting down with an elegant motion.

Hermione lifted her eyebrows, cocking her head slightly towards the shelf.

"Phineas Nigellus keeps me abreast of developments on 12 Grimmauld Place," Narcissa said, and took out her wand.

"Really?" Hermione narrowed her eyes at the portrait.

"Indeed. He's been quite useful." Narcissa swished her wand at the tea jug which obediently flew up in the air towards each of their cups; it poured the piping hot liquid, tilting its neck as delicately as its owner.

"Your letter said you had information to share," said Hermione between sips of tea, her nostrils flaring as she inhaled the rich aroma wafting up from the porcelain cup.

"My friends told me about Mr. Potter's strange adventures." Narcissa gazed significantly at the painting, lifting her eyebrow.

Hermione nodded whilst she grabbed a hot scone. "Bill mumbled something the other day about strange goings-on at Gringotts."

"That's one of the reasons I went to get Malfoy," Ron said and then patted his stomach, eyeing regretfully the biscuits. "I think they are both connected."

Narcissa nodded her assent. "The fact they so easily shared Draco's wand suggested to me similar avenues to explore, that's why I arranged the loan of Phineas Nigellus' frame."

Hermione stared at the tree; she could have sworn it had more baubles before. Shrugging, she dismissed the idea from her mind and said briskly, "Those incidents worry me because their magic could turn on Harry and Malfoy at any moment."

Narcissa put down her cup of tea and looked sharply at them. "As a precaution, I charmed two jewels with an ancient Celtic shield."

"But how will you get them to wear those jewels?" said Hermione in exasperation. "I've been trying for ages to get Harry to listen to my pleas and stay home."

"Harry's stubborn," said Ron, nodding in acknowledgement.

"My son is also stubborn." Narcissa fingered her napkin, staring at the desk on which there were several ancient figurines. "He's grown cautious and often will test to see if there are charms or curses present, but there are moments when he lowers his guard." She lifted her eyebrow at Hermione.

"I bet it happens when he's with Harry," Hermione said contemplatively, remembering their confrontations at Hogwarts.

"Exactly. So I had Kreacher take them a baked treat which had the charms inside. I am sure Draco will be tempted to wear the jewel he found in such an intriguing fashion."

"And if Harry's with him, he's bound to do whatever Malfoy does!" Ron said triumphantly.

Hermione frowned, pointing at the bare tree. "What in Merlin's name happened to the decorations?"

"The portrait informed me the boys are coming here and their intent, so I had a house-elf undecorate the tree, so to speak." Narcissa pointed at the door. "And since you have finished tea and the wards have just informed me of their arrival, I'll take the opportunity to show you around the gardens, if you are so inclined."

"Indeed," Hermione said simply, sounding impressed.

* * *

_tbc_


	5. Hershey's kisses

Harry glanced at the box of ornaments which was beneath the book-laden shelves. Even after they had decorated Malfoy's tree, it overflowed with green and red baubles.

"Hope Ron tells George what I said!" growled Harry menacingly.

"Your friends seemed in a hurry," said Draco, gazing intently at the portrait above the shelf. He could have sworn there was an old wizard there a few moments before.

"Reckon they had to pick up that plant your mother mentioned and take it to Neville." Harry's hand snaked towards his pocket, fingering the silver Snitch which he had kept from Kreacher's plum pudding.

"Very thoughtful of Mother," drawled Draco. "Didn't know she was friends with Longbottom's grandmother."

"Yeah." Harry squinted and leaned forward. From the lower branches of the tree hung a thread which had a golden Christmas bauble; Harry held the frayed end on his hand, the ball swinging limply back and forth like a tired Snitch as he turned to face Draco. "Isn't it strange? Looks like someone took the ornaments off the tree."

"Don't look at me like that, Harry," said Draco. He stared at a green bauble whose surface reflected the white threads on his chest which contrasted starkly against his robes. "Do you think I ordered the house-elves to do it?"

Harry's eyes gleamed with want as he noticed the garlands of popcorn that hugged Draco's neck.

He snorted. "I doubt it; even you are not Slytherin enough." Then he reached his hand and fingered a garland, before lifting it off Draco's head.

"Potter, what in Merlin's name are you doing?" said Draco indignantly.

Harry didn't answer; he just broke the thread and started eating the popcorn, staring so avidly at Draco, the blond shuddered, feeling as cornered as the Snitch in one of their Quidditch games.

"Hungry, Potter?" said Draco, licking his lips.

"You bet," Harry said heatedly.

Harry shivered because their exchange brought to his mind their Second Year confrontation in front of Lockhart and Snape. After the wild occurrences with his magic started to multiply, Harry examined his memories in search of a clue. His remembrances of Hogwarts were indelibly entwined with Malfoy, Harry had realised. He and Draco had so much history together - hateful at that – Harry had not been sure whether to give in to his attraction for the blond until he recalled the day he watched Snape's memories. Amidst the rivalry of his father, Sirius and Severus, Harry remembered sharply the look of loathing that stamped his mother's face when she looked at James. If Lily and James had ended up married, reasoned Harry to himself, why could he not give in to the fire that coursed through his veins whenever he thought of Draco? Especially since his relationship with Ginny had withered away like Devil's Snare exposed to bluebell flames.

Harry came to the present when he felt Draco's hand patting his flat abdomen. He was so startled he stumbled backwards and would have fallen into the tree if not for Draco's sure grip on his forearm.

"Careful, Harry." Draco gazed around the room, tilting down his chin at the ominous rumble coming from Harry's stomach.

"You really are hungry," he said wonderingly.

"Told you!"

Draco fished out his wand from his pocket. "What do you say to a stroll along the river? Frankly, I'm tired of decorating." He cocked his head at the corner, where the multiplying baubles had hidden the lower shelves.

* * *

oOoOo

Harry's fingers fumbled as he tried to unwrap the sweet until Draco gently took it from him. Lifting an eyebrow at Harry, he peeled off the red cover of the chocolate with studied ease and held it towards Harry.

"Where did you learn to handle Hershey's kisses?" said Harry suspiciously.

"Gringotts has business all over the world. Some of those places are far away from Wizarding establishments." He looked sharply at Harry. "Open up."

Blushing, Harry closed his eyes and opened his mouth slightly, his teeth closing around the soft treat. He groaned when Draco's thumb brushed against his lips as the blond pushed the chocolate gently against his tongue.

Finally, Draco swiped his thumb along Harry's chin, caressing softly the stubble before he stood up. He brushed the seat of his robes whilst he gazed at the green fields. "I've learned that Muggles do some things better."

Harry lifted his knee to hide his burgeoning erection though, he realised ruefully, Draco might not have had the same reaction.

"We are near Winterbourne Stoke," said Draco, waving his hand at the copse of trees. "Weasley and I went there after the owner informed the goblins of a hidden treasure." He snorted disdainfully, "It was a false alarm, I reckon. Besides, my magic caused their horse to sprout wings."

Harry bit back a chuckle at the imagery of Draco handling the newly-created Pegasus.

Draco crossed his arms behind his back and turned to look at Harry. "What about your job?"

"Nothing as interesting," said Harry with a shrug. "Reckon my magic affected Ron's spellwork. He once caused a Dark wizard to sink to the floor up to his chest."

"That must have been scary."

"Ron managed to calm the bloke." Harry fisted the grass and sighed. "I miss action, you know."

"I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of this," Draco said, biting his lip.

Harry's attention was concentrated on Draco so he didn't notice the tall grass swaying near the copse of oaks, where a sleek fox suddenly transformed into a witch.

"How dare you!" shrieked the woman whose twisted, haggard features reminded Harry of Bellatrix.

He stood up and lifted his hand, prepared to cast a wandless shield around Malfoy and himself. But Harry's heart clenched painfully when he saw Draco jumping towards the intruder. Before he could cast the shield, the witch stabbed her wand at them and yelled, _"Sectumsempra."_

* * *

_tbc_


	6. The aftermath

Harry dived towards Draco, his heart beating against his ribs like the hooves of a mad hippogriff. It was too late though; the flashing light of the spell had enveloped Draco's body.

Tumbling around the tall grass, Harry's arms wrapped snugly around the blond's torso before he looked up, wandlessly casting _Expelliarmus_ and then _Impedimenta_ at the deranged witch.

"Draco, are you all right?" asked Harry in a high-pitched voice as his hands touched gingerly Draco's chest and body.

"Am fine, Potter," groaned Draco, shivering as Harry's hand absently caressed his abdomen.

"Take me to the hall of the drunken giants!" She yelled in a shrill tone that reminded Harry of a bothersome banshee. He squinted at the writhing, willowy body of the witch before taking out his wand to cast the spell to prevent the Animagus transformation.

Draco sat up on the grass, brushing fastidiously the sleeves of his robes. "Thank you, Harry," he drawled.

"Why in Merlin's beard did you jump towards her?" Harry scowled at Draco and nervously brushed his fingers through his hair until his black locks stuck every which way.

Draco gazed up at the cloudy sky before fixing his steely gaze on Harry. "I can recognise the cooking style of different house-elves," he said proudly.

"Reckon the spell affected your brain, too." Harry tapped Draco's forehead, his thumb rubbing against the silky hair.

"No, Potter," Draco said exasperatedly, leaning into Harry's touch. "This has to do with the plum pudding at your house."

"So you jumped in front of the spell because of the pudding?" Harry blinked owlishly at Draco, his worry forgotten at the strange words.

Draco stood up, taking a step back to glare at the witch, who kept mumbling about fallen giants. "You've arrested giants, Harry?" he said, cocking his head at the woman.

"Not that I can recall." Harry shrugged and heaved himself up the grass.

"Anyway, what I meant to say is that a Malfoy house-elf baked the pudding."

"Really?" said Harry, his eyes widened in surprise.

"Indeed." Draco snaked his hand beneath his robes to finger the anchor charm that he had found inside the pudding. "Mother must have sent it to you and her behaviour when we met her, highly unusual I might add, confirms it."

"So, what did Narcissa do?" said Harry.

Draco snorted at the familiar form of address before saying firmly, "Dear Potter, the pudding was the means to deliver us protection!"

"That was why the curse didn't affect you!" Harry said wonderingly, adding in a rushed voice, "You took a chance, though."

"It's obvious, Harry," said Draco triumphantly. "Mother had the house-elf bake the pudding with a protecting potion!"

"Oh!" said Harry breathlessly.

"That's why Granger and Weasley were here." Draco took the silver anchor, gazing down at it before putting it back in his pocket. "They must have brought a magical ingredient from Longbottom's greenhouse!"

"So that was why they all looked shifty!" growled Harry and smacked his fist into his palm, remembering when they met them at the front door and the startled looks on the faces of his best friends; even the unflappable Narcissa had seemed taken aback before she recovered her usual poise. Harry nodded at Draco, thankful that he had someone to see through Narcissa's labyrinthine plots.

"You gave me a fright," said Harry slowly.

"What you need is hot chocolate," said Draco, gazing at the distant town. "And I know just the place to get it."

"We have to get rid of her first," said Harry, glaring at the witch that could have hurt Draco if not for the protecting potion. Heaving a deep sigh, Harry took out the silver Snitch he had taken from the pudding, but at the last second put it inside his robes, remembering he already had a Portkey that would send the witch straight to Auror headquarters.

* * *

oOoOo

Harry's nostrils flared as he inhaled the sweet aroma wafting up from the cup he cradled between his hands; it brought the comfort of Hogwarts to his mind. He shook the cup and gazed down at the thick liquid. The white marshmallows that lazily swam upon it reminded Harry of the Giant Squid's tentacles.

"I'm grateful, Draco," he said slowly, gazing into the grey eyes he knew well. "But you shouldn't have jumped, even if we are protected by the pudding."

"I had to, Harry," said Draco determinedly. "I wasn't going to stand by and see you get hurt again. I should have done it when you were at the mercy of that bastard!"

"No, you would have been killed!" said Harry agitatedly. Remembering the terror that gripped his heart in the Room of Requirement, he went on, "I don't want you to die, Draco! That's why I had to save you during the Fiendfyre!"

"Really?" said Draco, lifting an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't have saved just anyone at that moment, I'll let you know!" Harry said irritatedly, his hand reaching towards Draco's fingers. "I had to live to face Voldemort, I owed it to my parents and everyone, but seeing you hanging by your fingertips above the fire..."

Harry gulped, recalling the fear that clutched his heart at that moment. He took a deep breath and said in a rush, "Couldn't let you come to harm. It's why I saved you and later testified for your family during your trials. It's why I asked Bill to let me know how you were doing at Gringotts. D'you see?"

Draco's fingers squeezed Harry's hand tightly whilst the Slytherin leaned forward, tilting his chin to find the perfect angle to brush his lips against Harry's. The two wizards began to kiss slowly and Harry shuddered when their tongues entwined. The kiss tasted of chocolate and Draco.

* * *

_tbc_


	7. The Christmas cracker

"Malfoy's mother surprised me. Hope her plan works." Ron opened the door to the Muggle Liaison office, motioning for Hermione to enter.

"I'm not sure about those protection charms she mentioned. Narcissa acted a bit suspiciously when she said she got them near the Manor." Hermione sniffed at the abandoned dishes and goblets on the corner, her gaze taking in the Christmas tree. Judging by the electric lights strewn haphazardly around the branches, it had been decorated by Luna.

"My co-workers could have left the place tidy!" she said before taking out her wand and swishing it angrily at the dishes.

"They started without you!" grumbled Ron. He discovered the lonely Christmas cracker left untouched from the party. It was near a broken golden bauble. He sighed as he picked it up, tiredly waving the red tube around.

"This would've been fun with Harry around," he mumbled despondently.

"I'm finished and…" Hermione tucked her wand into the pocket of her jacket and smiled wryly at Ron. It was obvious her fiancé missed Harry and, in an effort to cheer him up, she grabbed the other end of the cracker.

"Ready?" She lifted her eyebrow. Ron shrugged nonchalantly and jerked on his end of the Gryffindor-red tube. Hermione knitted her brows in determination and gave a mighty pull.

The cracker broke with a loud sound and she stumbled backwards at the bright light which poured from her end of it.

Ron gazed with wonder as the light coalesced around a central shape which, he noted with delight, began to sprout wings.

"It's George's firework!" he said, grinning boyishly. His delight was short-lived, however, when the dragon gazed malevolently at him with fiery emerald eyes.

"Ron, get away!"

The reptilian firework growled, emitting smoke and sparks from its incandescent snout before turning on Hermione. She took out her wand but the dragon unfurled its wings and, with an ominous 'whee', reared up to the ceiling before swooping down gleefully towards the Christmas tree which burst in flames.

* * *

oOoOo

"Old chap, I must say you look better with those eyebrows," said George, his lips curling slightly in an ill-concealed smirk at Ron's soot-streaked face.

"I've had it with your pranks, George!" said Ron indignantly. "Your firework almost destroyed the office, and your Christmas baubles are overrunning Malfoy's house."

Ron paused to brush his fingers through his hair. He was angry after dealing with the results of the conflagration caused by his brother's mischievous firework.

"The ornaments I sent Harry?"

"Exactly. Took them to Malfoy's house and Narcissa said they've overflowed Draco's study," said Hermione patiently.

George leaned his tall frame against the wooden door, staring at them. "That's mighty strange because the baubles are supposed to sprout fire dragons, just like the one you two are complaining about."

Ron exchanged a significant glance with Hermione. This was the first time the magic that went haywire around Harry had acted in his benefit. Ron smiled smugly at the thought that he had been right in bringing Malfoy to Harry. It seemed his best friend's luck was changing for the better.

* * *

oOoOo

"So what did they say?" Draco leaned back on his leather chair, surveying his tidy domain. It had been hard to fight against the onslaught of the Christmas decorations but in an inspired moment, Draco asked Harry for help.

Harry had used Draco's old wand and cast _Evanesco_ at the pesky balls which vanished in a swirl of smoke. A bit odd, perhaps, but it had worked.

"The witch is befuddled," said Harry, staring at the wall where the _Patronus_ from his boss had vanished a few moments before. "The woman doesn't remember much, not even where she was. Thought I had stolen her boyfriend."

"Did you?" said Draco sharply, all benevolent thoughts flown from his head at the thought of the Gryffindor with another bloke.

"Course not," said Harry simply, shivering at Draco's intense stare. "I've never been with another man before…" He waved his hand at Draco. "Ginny and Cho have been my only interests."

"Good to hear, Harry," Draco said, slouching on his chair and grabbing his wand. He pointed it at a carafe full of cider which obediently poured the beverage.

Draco held up the gleaming goblet, his fingers caressing the smooth stem which had nothing on Harry's tanned skin. He reached his arm towards Harry and gave him the drink, their fingers intertwining briefly before Harry lifted it to drink.

"What about you?" Harry lifted an eyebrow. He sipped his drink, eyeing sharply the blond as he fingered the rim of his glasses.

When Draco didn't answer immediately, Harry put down the goblet on the desk with a loud thump. The harsh movement sloshed the liquid over the metallic rim and it pooled on the wooden surface, soaking the manuscripts upon it.

Draco lifted up a wet parchment, glaring at Harry whilst he laid it on an earthen plate to dry. It was too ancient and fragile to subject to a spell.

"For your information, Potter," said Draco heatedly. "You're the only wizard I've been interested in, ever since that day I met you at Madame Malkin's."

"Good to hear." Harry blushed at his jealous behaviour which, he reflected, was quite unusual for him. He picked up the goblet and sipped the sparkly cider, peering at Draco from above the goblet.

Harry shrugged, deciding that nothing about his relationship with Draco had ever been normal.

* * *

_tbc_


	8. The date

Draco snuggled into his warm robes, the woollen cloth chafing his neck. He took out his wand and prepared to cast another _Tempus_ but it wasn't necessary. Harry seemingly coalesced out of the snow, his dark cloak and tousled hair a welcome contrast against the winter landscape.

"Sorry I took so long," said Harry, nervously brushing his fingers through his unruly hair. "Kreacher wanted to pamper me. He fixed me kidney pudding."

"That would have defeated the purpose of my inviting you here." Draco smirked as he gently grabbed Harry's elbow, nudging the Auror towards the wizarding restaurant.

"Reckon you're right." Harry shrugged and opened the door, wincing at the melody enchanted into the silver bells. It was _'God rest ye, merry hippogriffs.'_

"Reminds me of Hagrid's class," groaned Draco and then he took off the green and silver scarf which covered his pale neck. Harry licked his lips at the alabaster skin thus exposed, his gaze sliding towards Draco's chest. He wondered if the rest of the Slytherin was as appetising.

"Mr Malfoy, over here!" A dowdy witch wearing a plum-coloured gown called out to them, her wand pointing at a richly laid table.

Harry took off his glasses, wiping the crystals with the sleeve of his cloak. He gazed at the bright blob that was Draco's hair, blinking owlishly.

"Coming, Katherine!" Draco said in a jovial tone which surprised Harry. The blond grinned at him and waved towards a secluded corner of the restaurant. "Come on, this is my favourite table because it's next to the fairy lights."

Harry put on his glasses and the multicoloured blobs next to the table sharpened into yellow and green fairies. Grinning, he walked towards Draco.

* * *

oOoOo

Harry patted his stomach, groaning as the witch laid another dish in front of him. He grabbed the goblet and sipped the hot cider. Smiling at the sight of Draco tucking into his meal, his red napkin balled by his side, he couldn't help but quip, "The Gryffindor colours don't bother you?"

Draco smirked wickedly. "On the contrary, Potter, when I sent her the owl, I asked for this." He waved his fork at the table, decorated in red. "Couldn't do anything else for our first date."

Harry blushed hotly, his cheeks almost matching the napkin. "So this is a date? Do you expect something in return?"

"Only what you are willing to grant me, Harry." Draco licked his lips before spearing a piece of juicy steak. He lifted it to his mouth, biting into the tender flesh delicately as he stared at Harry.

The Auror hastily stuffed his mouth with red cherries to stifle his moan. Deciding to lead the conversation into less heated territory, Harry arched his eyebrows at Draco. "How did you find this cosy restaurant? Somehow, I don't picture Lucius coming here."

"You'd be surprised at how much Father has changed," Draco drawled and then sipped his goblet of Armagnac brandy. The kick produced by the liquor, Draco decided, had nothing on dining with the handsome Auror.

Waving the goblet at the other tables, Draco said, "Nevertheless, it was Luna Lovegood who recommended this place."

"Luna?"

"Indeed. She works with Granger at Muggle Liaison." Draco shrugged. "And since Gringotts business forces me to travel all over the Muggle world, I need papers and other things."

"Reckon that's reasonable."

"What, Bill Weasley hasn't mentioned this?" Draco wiggled his eyebrows.

"No, he only says that you are doing well." Harry said, and then sipped his cider.

Draco nodded determinedly. "I understand, Terry does the same."

Startled by this piece of news, Harry forcefully put down his goblet. The cider sloshed all over the red napkin.

Draco smirked and fished his wand out of his robes. Swishing it gracefully at the soaked cloth, he dried it with a spell. "Luckily, this isn't the ancient map you almost destroyed earlier, Potter."

"What?" said Harry, a bit thickly.

"The parchment you drenched in my study? I found it in a haunted dungeon in Spain. Pinpoints all ancient Celtic leys and…"

"No, no," said Harry forcefully, waving his arms. "Terry, what about him?"

"Well, he works at the Ministry," said Draco slowly, fidgeting with the napkin. "We struck a friendship during Eighth Year and he tells me how you are doing."

"So all this time…" Harry's eyes gleamed in the candlelight as he gazed hungrily at the flushed blond.

"Let's say that if Weasley hadn't asked me to your house, I would've wrangled an invitation from Granger."

"Hermione informs you, too?" said Harry, scowling at Draco.

The blond held up his arms. "Nothing like that. She works with Luna and the two are thick as thieves. Granger's not as irritating as she was at Hogwarts."

"Nor is someone else," mumbled Harry.

"Did you say something?"

"Err, nothing." Harry lifted his goblet and swallowed rapidly to keep from ruining the date which was going so smoothly.

* * *

_tbc_


	9. The mistletoe

"I know what you did last week."

"You do, Draco?" Narcissa lifted the cup to her lips, raising an eyebrow at her flustered son.

"With the pudding," Draco said sharply.

The cup trembled minutely in Narcissa's grasp before she recovered her poise. Taking a deep breath, she stared outside the French window of the solarium. "Draco, let me assure you…"

"You did it for my protection," said Draco tiredly.

"Yes, son. I worry about you; those trips abroad where you search for cursed treasures are not safe, Draco." Narcissa eyed her son shrewdly, deciding what words would make Draco forget about the charms in the pudding. "In fact, it's rather Gryffindor of you; just like your clothes."

Draco blushed whilst he sat down opposite Narcissa, tugging the sweater he usually slept in; unfortunately, it had shrunk and barely reached his midriff. His pale fingers brushed against the knitted red deer which reminded him of Harry's _Patronus_.

Draco fished out his wand from his bright red pyjamas to _Accio_ his old blanket.

Narcissa lifted her eyebrow and Draco shrugged. "There's a draft and I'm tired, Mother. I was at Lovegood's until 3 am."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Narcissa sipped her tea. "Doing what exactly, son?"

Draco covered his yawn with his left hand. "Trying to solve the curse of the Spanish treasure. Luna comes up with the strangest ideas that prove useful somehow."

"Indeed," Narcissa said curtly.

Draco grabbed a biscuit and stared at it before biting it delicately. The pastry reminded him of the Christmas treat which protected him. "Your pudding saved my life, Mother."

"I'm glad to hear that," said Narcissa neutrally.

"I'm afraid not for long, though. I reckon the spell won't last after I digest it."

"What?" Narcissa sat even straighter on her chair. This new development was certainly outside the scope of her plans. Had Draco eaten one of the silver charms? She glanced around, hoping Lucius had returned home. After all, her husband was the one who had dealt with big emergencies during Draco's toddler years.

Draco yawned again, eyeing covetously the wicker settee next to the French window. Luna had waxed enthusiastic for hours about her trip to the dragon reservation in Wales as the night passed.

"Shrewd idea, Mother, using Longbottom's plant."

"I'm glad that meets with your approval, Draco." Narcissa's lips twisted upward in a tightly controlled smirk.

"You could have consulted me about the potion in the pudding, though." Draco finished his biscuit and stood up, heaving a sigh. "I can see through your plans, Mother."

"Indeed, Draco, I know how hard it is to outwit the Slytherin Prince."

Draco made his way to the settee, and thus was unable to watch Narcissa's unladylike sneer.

"By the way, I invited Harry for lunch."

"I'll tell the house-elves, Draco."

* * *

oOoOo

"Mate, we have to work harder to solve your case." Ron sighed in desperation at Harry's unfocused stare. The way he gripped tightly his bright green quill reminded Ron of their Sixth Year; he shook his head, wishing for the simpler past when Harry was overtly obsessed by Malfoy

"You shouldn't worry so much, Ron," Harry finally said, "Draco and I are protected by the pudding. Reckon you are, too."

"But I didn't keep any of the…"

Harry lifted up his hand. "I saw you eating it."

"Wot?" Ron puzzled his eyebrows in thought. "I don't know what you're talking about, mate."

"Neville's great with plants," said Harry, staring at Ron significantly.

"So?"

"And Narcissa wanted the plant you brought with you to the Manor."

"What plant?"

"Come off it, Ron!" growled Harry exasperatedly. "The potion!"

"What potion?"

"The potion in the pudding!"

"You mean there was a potion there, besides the charms?"

"What charms?" Harry poked Ron's robes with the point of his quill. "You wouldn't hide anything from me, would you, Ron?"

Harry's gleaming eyes unnerved Ron.

"Malfoy's mother put charms in the pudding," Ron said with a shrug, "they're supposed to protect you and Malfoy."

"Charms?" Harry squinted at Ron. "Not potions?"

"She didn't say anything about a potion."

Harry sniggered, thinking that Draco wasn't so sharp after all. He decided to keep this fact to himself, the better to taunt Draco with later.

Ron's stomach rumbled and he glanced around. "Kreacher prepared lunch yet?"

"What?" said Harry.

Before Ron could answer, Harry bolted out of the room, hastily grabbing his cloak.

* * *

oOoOo

"Draco is in the solarium, Potter," said Lucius, his lips twitching in a slight sneer.

"Fine, see you." Harry dashed out of the parlour, depriving Lucius of the chance to utter one of his polished barbs.

"Why is there so much mistletoe and… who was that?" said Narcissa, walking into the room.

"Potter." Lucius grimaced in disappointment. "And I used the mistletoe because the peacocks were eating it."

* * *

oOoOo

Harry walked into the brightly lit room and the sight that greeted him took his breath away. Draco lay upon the settee like a gift from Merlin himself, his pale skin contrasting sharply with his red clothes.

The Slytherin turned to look at Harry; his eyes, grey as the cloudy sky over the Quidditch Pitch, pierced him with the promise of rain and life. Draco's white sweater rode up his torso, revealing tantalising glimpses of toned abs and sinewy muscles. Harry's heart clenched painfully at the sight of the scar from the _Sectumsempra_ curse, so faint that he reckoned he could kiss it away if he tried hard enough. It had the zigzagging shape that he knew well from watching his own forehead in the mirror.

In fact, it was so like his own, Harry knew in his heart it was another of the multiple things that joined them: Seekers in their Hogwarts years, and the pains and tribulations of the war. It all condensed in the sinful flesh of the man that had always had a part of his heart, Harry realised with a start. The first wizard that Harry had met, and the Seeker his heart had long sought.

"Potter, what?"

Harry pointed at the mistletoe which hung from the ceiling above the settee as he pounced on the recumbent Slytherin, his arms wrapping around the toned torso whilst his lips sought the comfort only Draco's flesh could offer. His mouth touched Draco's timidly, until he felt the corded muscle of Draco's arms holding him tightly.

They kissed slowly; unaware of the strange glow that briefly limned their bodies.

* * *

_tbc_


	10. Winter Parliament

The tall man leaned against the rail and stared down at the turbulent waters of the Thames. He sighed gustily, and wisps of vapour from his breath rose into the wintry London air, lending him the air of a contemplative dragon. The curtain of white-blond hair draped over his black cloak added to the impression, creating a silver harness around his shoulders.

Lucius glanced at the building on the other side of the bridge, his eyebrows puzzling in thought. He wondered what would have happened if the Dark Lord had won the war. Voldemort had confided bloody visions of imposing wizarding rule over Parliament which had upset Lucius even then. The part of him that cherished the feeling of coming home when he arrived at the Ministry, ready to burrow into the intricate bureaucratic procedure, which felt at times like dancing with Narcissa to the tune of one of the old pureblood songs, that part had chafed at the Dark Lord's cruel whispers.

By then it was too late, though. Lucius was forced to follow the road that inexorably led to the Final Battle, a pawn in a chess game he no longer had any hope of controlling. Worse than this was the oppressive feeling in Lucius' chest when he watched Draco struggling to survive in the bloody war that was not of his devising; he had to bite his tongue in order to keep his silence when Voldemort cast Crucio on his son!

Lucius' thin lips twisted in a sneer as he recalled the sight that greeted him this morning when he went to the solarium on his way to the garden. Potter had been draped over Draco while his son appeared to be intent on devouring Potter like a hungry dragon. Lucius nodded at this imagery, his lips forming a tight smile at the remembrance of Draco, blooming with good health and cheeks rosy with embarrassment. Potter's blush when Draco gasped 'Father' had been quite entertaining too, Lucius reflected; the vaunted Saviour had scrambled out of the settee like Dementors were after him.

Lucius had lifted his cane at him and said, "Carry on!"

"Wot?" Potter had said, a bit thickly in Lucius' opinion.

"You heard me, Potter." Glancing sideways at his son, Lucius had drawled, "Draco, enjoy your day, and don't forget dinner with the Holcombs. You might want to invite Potter - if he manages to recover the use of his tongue, that is."

"Father?" Draco had said, running his hand through his blond hair.

"You heard me, Draco." Lucius had strolled towards the French windows with a light step, his cane swaying as he called over his shoulder, "Next time, boys, charm the door closed!"

* * *

oOoOo

Lucius shivered when the sound of crunching snow under his boots brought him to the present. Lifting his hand casually to nudge his furred hat, he glanced towards the other end of the bridge. It reminded him of the dark hour when he dashed out of the ruins of Hogwarts and towards Narcissa and his son. On that occasion, Lucius had solemnly vowed to stand by his family and watch over them, to finally become the father his son deserved. If Draco decided to pursue the Vanquisher, it would not be Lucius who would stand in the way.

Recalling his wife's Slytherin ways, Lucius decided to keep a discreet eye on the boys and offer his assistance if the occasion required it.

A man with a thick cloak tapped gently on his shoulder. Lucius whirled around, ready to brandish his wand at the intruder, but stopped the motion when he recognised the fringe of unruly hair peeking from beneath the woollen hat.

Frowning at the newcomer, Lucius turned to look at Big Ben and stabbed his cane at it. "You arrive a little late, Potter. It's half past nine."

"Got loads of paperwork…"

"I distinctly recall writing the note I owled you which stated precisely at nine sharp."

"Had to get the paperwork done today because of that dinner you invited me to, Malfoy." Harry crossed his arms and glared mutinously. "Or did you change your mind?"

"Not at all, Potter, not at all." Lucius took a deep breath to calm down. Frankly, he wondered how his son managed to have a civil conversation with Potter; perhaps the reason he snogged him was to shut him up.

"What d'you want, Malfoy?" Harry kicked a small mound of snow. "I won't stop seeing Draco."

Lucius snorted. "I am not asking you to stop seeing my son. I want to warn you, Potter." Lucius lifted his gaze to the sky, his eyes as grey as the clouds above. "You might not believe me, but I want Draco to find happiness."

"You do?"

Lucius cane tapped insistently against the snow-encrusted sidewalk. "Indeed. The reason I wanted this meeting is to warn you about the last spell the Dark Lord was working on."

Harry shuddered and pulled his scarf up his neck. Recalling Riddle in the middle of winter certainly did nothing to ward off the chill. "What was it?"

"I don't know," said Lucius, shrugging elegantly. "I do recall it was incomplete and he kept working at it, even when we were about to storm Hogwarts."

Lucius gazed at the dark, slushy waters of the Thames lapping against the foundations of Parliament whilst his hands tightly gripped his cane, and then he recited by rote the two words the Dark Lord had muttered over and over, _"Sol sistere."_

* * *

_tbc_


	11. The riddle

"Those were Lucius' words, Hermione." Harry fidgeted with the edge of his sash and glanced at his best friend, or rather, at the top of Hermione's head. She was keenly reading a book. Harry frowned as he read the title,_ 'Parallel lives by Plutarch.'_

"That's interesting," she mumbled at last.

Harry pointed at the tome. "Reckon you're searching for clues."

"Not really," said Hermione, biting her lip. She lowered her hand and her fingers brushed lovingly the leather cover. "This is for my job. Liaising with Muggles is sometimes hard and I decided to consult these biographies to find out how these people handled themselves."

She frowned at Harry's formal robes and the golden and red sash that hugged his broad chest. Waving at it, she lifted an eyebrow enquiringly at her friend.

"I went to…" Harry took a deep breath, feeling as small as the time he faced Umbridge and the Inquisitorial Squad at Hogwarts. He finally said in a rush, "… a party with my boyfriend, Draco."

Hermione nodded sagely. "Interesting, does Ron know?"

"He does now," said Ron loudly.

Startled, Harry twisted his neck to look towards the threshold. Ron sighed deeply; in the candlelight his hair gleamed like a copper cauldron. He moved his hand in a sweeping gesture. "I don't care, mate. Made my peace with Malfoy, taking into account what he did."

Hermione smiled warmly at Ron and then she leaned forwards to pick a piece of mistletoe off Harry's shoulder. "I gather the party was interesting, wasn't it?"

Glancing at the green speck she held between her thumb and forefinger, Harry blushed. "You could say that. But what about the spell?"

Hermione waved her hand with a nonchalant air. "It's rather obvious. _Sol sistere_ refers to the solstice, of course. We are nearing the winter solstice, which is…"

"The shortest day of the year," drawled Draco, fastidiously brushing the ash from the Floo off his shoulders. He walked inside the parlour, nodding at Ron and Hermione. "Weasley, Granger, fancy meeting you here."

"We are Harry's friends," said Hermione testily, noting the way the blond's gaze remained fixed on Harry's hair.

"I thought we would have the rest of the evening by ourselves, Harry." Draco raised his hand and delicately coughed into his palm.

Harry felt heat bloom in his cheeks at this pointed reminder of their intentions. After all, he had rushed to 12 Grimmauld Place to prepare things but instead found Hermione there.

"Hermione can help us with the hint your father gave me."

Draco nodded and then he pierced Hermione with a sharp gaze, lifting his eyebrow. "What do you think, Granger?"

"I'm not sure, _Draco_," she said pointedly, emphasising his name. "Solstice could mean a lot of things, and if Voldemort was working on that…"

Ron picked up a scone from the tray and waved it at Draco. "You were close to You-Know-Who. Did he tell you anything?"

Draco sat on the chair besides Harry and stared into the fire. He finally said in a pensive voice, "To be sure, I tried to stay away from him. Father told Harry this occurred in the final days of the War. During the Final Battle I didn't see that wizard until near the end. Thankfully, McGonagall made it easy."

Harry gazed sharply at Draco. "How?"

"By locking us in the dungeons," said Draco simply. "We spent hours in there. Pansy was frantic and kept saying that the ceiling might collapse on us."

Draco reclined on the chair and crossed his long legs. "She was right, of course. I had heard there were giants working with the Death Eaters. They could have destroyed that part of the castle and buried us alive."

"Oh," said Harry in a small voice.

"I remembered a spell I found in the Library to levitate rocks, taught it to Pansy and others." Draco nodded at Ron. "That's why it was on the tip of my tongue when that rock almost killed your brother."

"Thanks," said Ron gruffly.

"No need to, Weasley," drawled Draco. "You testified for us at the trials."

"Draco, you found that spell in the Library," said Hermione musingly, remembering the cosy atmosphere of her favourite place at Hogwarts.

"Indeed, _Hermione_," drawled Draco, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

She sat up straight in her chair and beamed at them as she tapped the cover of the book. "We should go to Hogwarts and consult the Library then." She added brightly, "Like Rome in ancient times, it would seem all roads lead to Hogwarts."

* * *

oOoOo

Inside the snow-covered turrets of Hogwarts, Hermione peered at her selection of books, rubbing her hands gleefully at the research she had to do. Thankfully they had the castle for themselves, since most of the students had gone home for the holidays.

"Where's Harry?" said Ron.

She waved her hand at the door. "Outside, talking with Draco."

"You're right," said Ron, shrugging. "I can hear them shouting."

"It would seem nothing's changed." Hermione shrugged.

* * *

Leaning against the wooden door, Draco stared intently at his boyfriend.

"You didn't tell me the charms inside the pudding protected us!" growled Draco, poking Harry's chest.

"You didn't ask, you git!" Harry glared heatedly at the handsome blond.

"Should've told me, you prat!" Draco licked his lips at the way the tousled hair shone by the scant light of the sconces.

"Git!" Harry said fondly as he leaned forward, his thumb brushing against Draco's cheek.

"Prat!" Draco scowled, his hand looping around the nape of Harry's neck.

Harry stepped towards Draco, standing on tiptoe so their foreheads touched. "What do you say if we go to Gryffindor Tower?"

"To the Slytherin Dungeons instead, Potter."

"No, too far." Harry said, breathing harshly.

"Fine, Ravenclaw is it," said Draco, before grabbing Harry's hand and dashing towards Ravenclaw, his Gryffindor boyfriend in tow.

* * *

oOoOo

Harry glared at the bronze knocker, wishing he could whip out his wand and curse the beak off the smug eagle.

"How in Merlin's name am I supposed to answer that?" he roared, impatient to enjoy some privacy and snog Draco senseless.

"Let me try," said Draco.

The eagle knocker that guarded the entrance to Ravenclaw Tower said in a neutral voice, "What stands erect in youth but lies dormant in old age?"

"A man?" said Draco tentatively.

"No," said the knocker.

Draco glared at the impertinent eagle.

"A cock?" said Harry, before Draco elbowed him.

"Most certainly not!" said the eagle with an offended air.

"See what you did, Harry?" said Draco exasperatedly as he brushed his fingers through his hair. "We'll have to go to Gryffindor after all."

"Or the Dungeons," said Harry disconsolately.

"Oi, Harry and Draco!" said a dreamy voice.

"Luna? What are you doing here?" said Harry.

"Came to consult Hermione." Luna squinted at the door. "A problem came up and she said she was coming here."

Draco waved at the door. "Could you try to solve the riddle, Luna?"

"Certainly," she said.

The knocker repeated the question. "What stands erect in youth but lies dormant in old age?"

"A menhir," Luna said simply, and then she poked Draco's chest with the tip of her wand. "You should have remembered, Draco, there are many menhirs in Burgos, the place you told me about. It's quite easy, really. The big stones stand tall at the beginning but then fall."

Draco gazed at Harry as the door opened, and stepped back so Luna could enter. The two former Seekers followed her into Ravenclaw Tower.

* * *

_tbc_


	12. Luna's job

_**Warning:**__ NC-17_

* * *

After they entered the room, Draco draped his arm around Harry's shoulder and turned towards Luna, raising his eyebrows.

Harry gazed up at the stars which studded the ceiling of the Ravenclaw Common Room, leaning his shoulder on Draco. "Where's little Draco?"

"What?" said Draco hoarsely.

"The constellation," Harry said in a seemingly innocent tone whilst his hand reached inside Draco's robes to press his palm against the bulge he found there.

Draco gulped and leaned into the touch whilst Luna fished out her glasses from her robes.

Smiling at her, Harry cocked his head towards the stairs. "The rooms are empty?"

She nodded, pointing the stem of her glasses at the left of the Ravenclaw statue.

Harry gazed up at Rowena's marble face, shuddering at the remembrance of the Grey Lady and the vital clue she had provided towards finding Voldemort's Horcrux. Draco tugged urgently on his arm, though, and the two men dashed upstairs without even glancing at the magnificent vista of the snow-capped mountains that framed the rebuilt Quidditch Pitch.

Luna gazed up at them and shook her head, muttering, "Hope they get warm because snow is falling."

She went to the table and sat down on her favourite chair which had survived the War and prepared to compose her report.

* * *

oOoOo

Harry snaked his hand beneath Draco's robes, caressing his flanks.

"Don't grope me," gasped Draco.

"Just getting the wand," breathed Harry, his fingers caressing Draco's stomach, and then he flicked the wand towards the door. "Alohomora."

Draco grabbed the smooth hawthorn and pushed it towards the door. Harry backed away into the room, stumbling when his shoes caught on the edge of the thick rug.

"Careful, going to break the wand," said Harry.

"It is pliant, as you well know," Draco drawled. He took it out of Harry's hand, his palm pushing the broad chest of the Auror towards the bed. "This is your first time?"

Harry nodded his assent and looked away, his glance taking in the posters of the Tutshill Tornados on the wall. The tiny Seeker who was about to catch the Snitch paused in his flying to wave at him, winking lewdly.

"Bloody pictures," grumbled Harry.

Draco leaned forward, trapping him between his soft woollen robes and the hard edge of the bed. Harry reached his hand towards the wooden poster of the bed to steady himself. He shivered when Draco cupped his chin and tilted it so Harry faced him.

"It's my first time, too," said Draco reassuringly.

"It had better be," grumbled Harry, his heart beating madly at the thought of anyone else possessing the blond. He plopped down on the bed, his legs wedged between Draco's. Harry closed his eyes to savour the feeling when Draco's fingers, fluttering as softly as the wings of the Snitch, brushed against his hair.

"I'll make it good, Harry, because I've waited this moment for so long…" He trailed off, and Harry heard him breathing harshly whilst Draco's fingers traced a pattern down his forehead until they grasped the rim of his glasses.

"What are you doing?" Harry said.

"I remember the first time I saw you," Draco said, gently taking off his glasses.

"You were upon that stool," Harry's lips quirked upward, remembering the blond boy with the haughty smirk, looking as if he owned the store.

Draco pushed Harry backwards and the Gryffindor laid his back upon the soft mattress. Harry spread his arms, his fingers brushing against the duvet.

Draco waved his wand at their bodies in a sweeping motion. Harry shivered after their clothes vanished, the cold draft coming from beneath the closed door raising goose bumps over his bare arms.

Light as a feather, Draco carded his fingers through the unruly black mane whilst Harry's cock throbbed at the proximity of the hot blond.

"Your hair looked so wild," said Draco. "I asked Mother to teach me a spell so it would lay flat next time we met."

Harry looped his arms around Draco's back, raising his body on his elbow and turning them so they rolled sideways. He ended up on top of Draco.

"You wanted me to look like you, Draco?" he snorted. "Like a light bulb?"

Glaring at the sarcastic reply, Draco bucked up his hips; his prick rubbed against Harry's and he smirked at the Auror's heartfelt groan.

Harry inhaled, their musky scent filling him with the need to have Draco inside. He looked down at the blurry mop of blond hair whilst his hands caressed Draco's chest. Harry bent to lick the rosy nubs as Draco arched his chest, seeking more contact.

Harry lowered his hand, grabbing Draco's thick shaft and then he leaned down to lick a path down his abdomen, mouthing the soft ridges of his abs until he reached the _Sectumsempra_ scar, which he laved with kisses.

Draco squirmed, closing his eyes when Harry gently laid his hand upon his stomach and reclined his head against the smooth expanse of skin.

The blond groaned at the tickling caused by the tousled hair so near to his shaft, his fingers entangling with Harry.

The Gryffindor closed his eyes and sighed contentedly, rubbing his nose against the smooth skin. He wrapped his arms around Draco's slim waist and wiggled his hips, enjoying the feeling of his cock rubbing against Draco's body.

The zigzagging scar on his forehead touched the lingering trace left from the Sectumsempra curse on Draco's stomach. Both men had their eyes closed, enjoying the intimate moment. They didn't notice the bright flash of light that sprang forth when the two scars rubbed against each other. The glimmer spread throughout Ravenclaw Tower, weakening when it reached the windows so that most inhabitants of the castle, engaged in their own endeavours, didn't notice the glow. Only one took careful note of it.

"I need you in me," mumbled Harry.

Draco propped himself up on his elbow, his fingers reaching for the wand as Harry rolled his body off him. Then he draped an arm around Harry, his fingers brushing against the wiry trail until he reached his engorged cock. He swiped his thumb across the wet cockhead, lifting his fingers to his mouth whilst his tongue peeked out from between pouty lips to savour the taste of Harry.

Draco sat up on his knees and gazed at the tanned skin, so tantalisingly displayed beneath him. His mouth watered at the sight of the toned chest, the two erect nubs standing at attention.

Draco scooted back on his knees towards the edge of the bed. Hooking a forearm under both of Harry's knees, he pushed them towards his chest, revealing the puckered opening. Draco grunted as his trembling fingers pointed the wand towards Harry's entrance.

"Scared, Potter?" he said in a hoarse voice.

"You wish," groaned Harry, just before he felt the thick liquid from the lubrication spell coated his insides. He squirmed, his hands holding his knees apart, opening himself to Draco's darkened eyes.

Harry whimpered, feeling Draco's fingers massaging his rim. He canted up his hips, wiggling impatiently until the finger breached him. Harry moaned and grabbed the duvet.

Leaning down, Draco licked the inside of Harry's knee before raising his ankles so they rested on his shoulders.

The Gryffindor yelped when he felt Draco's blunt cockhead penetrating his slicked channel. He squirmed at the burning sensation of being full as he gazed up, frowning at the blurry blond hair which gleamed in the scant twilight coming from the window.

"Are you fine?" said Draco breathlessly.

"'m fine, go on." Harry tried to relax and open his body to the invasion he earnestly desired.

Draco grunted, jerking his hips. He splayed his hands, framing Harry's head as he sheathed himself in his lover.

"Move!" Harry clenched around him.

Draco thrust up his hips until his throbbing shaft sank to the hilt. His pale buttocks flexed as he slowly withdrew until Harry arched his back, shimmying his hips when the flange of the cockhead spread open his ring.

Draco leaned over Harry as he sought the best angle for penetration. Harry squeezed briefly around Draco's cock on its way in, clenching hungrily when Draco withdrew the shaft.

Knowing that their lovemaking wouldn't last long, he jabbed his prick into the tight heat which gripped him like a vise. Draco couldn't hold for much longer, not when he had been waiting years for this moment.

The force of their coupling pushed their sweaty bodies up the bed until Harry's mop brushed against the headboard. The Gryffindor wrapped his strong legs around Draco's waist, hooking his ankles behind the slim buttocks whilst his neglected cock throbbed.

"Harder," grunted Harry.

Draco glanced down, his mouth watering at the sight of the pulsing, dark cockmeat which glistened with precome. Draco fisted the thick shaft, luxuriating in the smooth skin and stiff flesh his fingers enclosed; he unconsciously licked his lips, wanting to taste Harry. Sighing, he pushed the thought aside until later and thrust harshly into the welcoming body. Draco leaned towards him and the movement tilted up Harry's hips, which caused the shaft to rub against his prostate. Harry grunted and came, the spasming walls around Draco gripping him tight.

Draco thrust harshly, the fluttering channel enveloping him overcoming any scant control he had left. He climaxed with a hoarse grunt, and then he lifted his fingers, wet with Harry's come, to his lips and tasted Harry's essence.

Draco uncoupled their bodies, grimacing at the lewd popping sound of his shaft leaving Harry's body. He searched blindly for his wand and cleaned their bodies, yawning as he laid himself next to Harry's sweaty back.

"Good?" Draco said.

"Reckon so."

Draco frowned at Harry, who was shivering. Ravenclaw Tower had apparently become even draftier due to the damage caused by the War.

He spooned against Harry's back, nuzzling his cheek against the unruly hair.

"You're the best, Harry." Draco said tiredly, feeling quite unable to express all the pent-up feelings - the anguish, tenderness and love - all the whirlwind of emotions Harry had always caused inside his heart with just a bare glance or scowl.

"I think so, too." Harry sighed and looked up at the ceiling, feeling exhausted. He yawned widely.

* * *

oOoOo

In the Common Room, Luna stared intently at the flickering yellow flames in the chimney. She mused that the sound of the crackling logs resembled Thestrals' hooves stepping on dried leaves, deep in the Forbidden Forest.

Luna sighed at the sight of the flames, recalling the stories Hermione shared during their long office hours about the Trio flying out of the Room of Requirement as they sought to escape the _Fiendfyre_. She recalled the catch in Hermione's voice when she talked about how Harry had suddenly turned to fly back and rescued Draco.

She glanced up at the windows, noting the scant light. Hopefully her Patronus message had reached its destination by now.

At that moment the flames changed colour, becoming a bright green. The outlines of a head slowly appeared until the flames congealed into a neatly trimmed beard framing strong jaws.

"Lovegood, are you there?"

"Yes, Mr Bedloe."

Bedloe's head turned minutely towards Luna. "Are you sure about the glow, Unspeakable Lovegood?"

"Quite sure, Mr Bedloe," said Luna sharply, her voice bereft of its usual dreamy quality.

"It has started then." Bedloe frowned at her. "I cannot stress how important your presence is at this juncture, Lovegood. Unspeakable Kenway tells me he heard from the Keeper of the Hall of Prophecies."

"He did, sir?" Luna twirled her glasses between her fingers, staring intently at Mr Bedloe.

"The information is quite fragmentary, I'm afraid," said Bedloe, the boss of the Unspeakables. "Our agent only heard the two words, _Caithor Gall_."

* * *

_tbc_


	13. Oxford Street

"This doesn't help us, I'm afraid." Hermione tapped her fingernail against the tome before handing it to Ron.

Ron hefted the book, glancing at the title. He could make neither heads nor tails of it so he stood up, ready to put it back on the shelf. "What exactly are we looking for?"

"Information related to the solstice." She sighed, gazing at the lamp. "There's a wealth of books about the solstice that I've stumbled upon in my job. Muggles have a fascination with astronomy and…"

"I remember hearing something about it," said Ron wonderingly.

"You did?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Years ago. It was when we went to the Ministry to rescue Sirius, when Voldemort tricked Harry." Ron shrugged and put the book on the shelf. "The Prophecies broke, remember?"

"What did you hear?"

"I heard the voice of this old bloke saying: '… _at the solstice will come a new_…'" Ron shrugged. "There was another prophecy which might have something to do with it." He shrugged. "Can't remember exactly what it said."

"… _and none will come after_," said Luna, walking up to them. She twirled her wand before tucking it behind her ear. "I remember Bellatrix shouting whilst the balls broke, the witch sounded like a very obnoxious fwooper."

Seeing Hermione's sceptical look, Luna hastened to add, "We can consult my memories in the Pensieve, if you want."

"But where we will get one?" said Ron.

"I have one at the office," Luna said in a dreamy voice. "Comes handy when I want to note down the times I've seen nargles."

Luna opened her mouth to say more but Hermione huffed dismissively, "Sure, Luna."

The Ravenclaw shrugged. "As you wish."

"Where's Harry?" said Ron. "For that matter, where's Malfoy?"

"They were in Ravenclaw when I left them." Luna sat on the chair next to Hermione. "The poor boys were tired. I reckon they're having breakfast."

She exchanged a sharp glance with Hermione, who blushed. The two witches glanced sideways at Ron, who seemed intent on finding _Quidditch through the ages._

"I know they did the dirty deed," said Ron, glancing at the two witches over his shoulders.

"You do?" said Hermione, raising her eyebrows.

Ron brushed his fringe and put the book he was holding back on the shelf, giving up his search for the elusive Quidditch book. "Sure, Mione. I can read between the lines, you know. I've known something like this would happen since I met Malfoy near Marylebone."

"You haven't told me, Ron," said Hermione admonishingly.

"Well, I forgot is all." Ron shrugged. "It was…"

"It was near Christmas Eve," drawled Draco, sauntering towards the group, Harry by his side.

Hermione took at a glance Harry and Draco's slightly dishevelled state. The rumpled cloaks and slightly askew collar shirts hinted at a snog or two in the corridors. She smiled at Harry, happy to see his cheeks glowing with a healthy blush.

Draco squeezed Harry's shoulder and pushed him gently towards the chair in front of Ron. Then he hooked his foot around the leg of the chipped chair next to it and pulled it towards the pile of books in front of Hermione. He sat down and glanced at them, lifting his eyebrow at the title of the topmost book.

"Funny that you're researching Irish myths and _Cúchulainn_," said Draco, fingering the leather-bound tome. "I was looking for something similar."

"Let me guess, the geis?" said Hermione.

"Exactly," Draco said, crossing his legs. "There was this haunted treasure near Dublin, and Gringotts believed there was a geis placed upon the family."

"What is that?" said Harry, nudging his glasses with his thumb.

Draco leaned towards him and grinned briefly. "It's a magical obligation that you have to follow on pain of death. The conditions are quite difficult to match and so, the hero who's been placed under a geis may die."

"That's awful," said Harry in a small voice.

"Indeed. That day Weasley was talking about, I was walking along the street," said Draco. "Looking for the bookstore Terry Boot recommended, and I met him."

Ron smiled fondly. "It was a cold day, let me tell you! I was strolling along Oxford Street, searching for a Muggle gift for Dad - Christmas was a day or two away - and I saw Malfoy's hair, just as bright as the Christmas lights in the middle of the street. He was near these lights which formed a big box." Ron spread his arms widely to indicate the huge lights. "Had an umbrella inside, if I remember correctly. Anyway, he was gazing up at them like they were a dragon or something."

Draco scowled at Ron. "I was unused to those Muggle lights, Weasley. They seemed like fairy lights."

"Anyway, to make a long story short," said Ron. "I invited him over for dinner." He smiled fondly at Hermione. "You were visiting your parents in Australia, remember."

"Yes, I do." Hermione glanced at Draco, curious about why the Slytherin had agreed to have dinner with his former enemy.

Seeing her sceptical expression, Draco explained. "At the time, Mother and Father were abroad, and I lacked company." He sighed. "It got lonely in the Manor, especially during the longest night of the year."

"I know what you mean, Draco," said Ron, gazing at the windows of the Library, white because of the snow falling outside. "Nights seem to last forever, don't they?"

"Will you have Christmas dinner with me?" blurted Harry.

"Of course," said Draco, patting lightly Harry's arm.

* * *

_tbc_


	14. The red candy

"So, what do you think it means?" Harry cocked his head towards the table on the parlour, laden with books they had brought from Hogwarts.

"Let's see what we have so far," said Hermione, ticking off on her fingers. "Lucius told you Voldemort was working on a curse which has to do with the solstice. Then we have your magic going haywire."

Hermione looked at Draco, who was lounging on the couch.

The blond raised his eyebrows and drawled, "My magic is off too, Granger." He shrugged, gazing sharply at Harry. "Though now that you mention it, the incidents calmed down ever since Harry and I met here."

"That prophecy Ron mentioned worries me," said Harry, slouching on the couch and placing his feet upon the stool next to Draco.

The blond sniffed at Harry's uncouth manners but the Auror just shrugged and said, "I hate prophecies!"

"Harry, I don't think that bloody prophecy counts anymore," said Ron. "Happened ages ago, before we battled the Death Eaters and he Light won over You-Know-Who."

"I'm afraid that's not how it works, Weasley," said Draco. He patted Harry's ankle and nudged aside the stool to stand up. "True prophecies would take into account Harry's victory. It's like a _geis_, it binds you and you have to fulfil it no matter what."

Remembering the book he'd bought in Oxford Street and the myths he'd uncovered, Draco shuddered. He had read that the _geis_ was used on heroes. He exchanged a significant glance with Hermione and cocked his eyebrows at Harry, who was looking at the table and the two sweets upon it.

Hermione took a deep breath and nodded minutely.

"Why the winter solstice, though?" said Harry, turning to look at Hermione.

It was Ron who answered, "Because it's the longest night. Think about it, mate. Days keep getting shorter."

"It's had importance since the Neolithic," said Hermione in a no-nonsense voice. "Archaeological sites in Newgrange and Stonehenge suggest it."

Draco glanced at the table and the heart-shaped candy. He stepped towards it and grabbed one, snapping it in half with a small cracking sound.

"Malfoy, I wouldn't eat…" Ron started to say.

Draco snorted. "I'm hungry, Weasley. I've spent a lot of energy." He leered discreetly at Harry, who blushed.

Draco sucked on the candy and the sight of his pouty lips wrapped around the sweet caused Harry to grab hastily one of Hermione's books to hide his arousal.

"Honeydukes?" Draco said.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Obviously it comes from…"

Draco lifted his hand. "Doesn't matter, Hermione. It's strange that my magic and Harry's seem to stabilise one another."

Draco gazed thoughtfully at the fire on the chimney whilst the others stared transfixed at the fur that started to sprout from the sides of his head. His ear shells changed shape until Draco was sporting pointy, silver-furred ears, reminding Harry of the foxes that he encountered in the woods when they searched the Horcruxes.

"I don't like the coincidence of these events starting to multiply near the winter solstice," drawled Draco. "Nor these prophecies you told us about cropping up unexpectedly."

A thin appendage peeked from beneath the hem of Draco's robes. Hermione gasped in shock when she recognised the furry tip of a tail.

Turning to Harry, Ron mouthed, _'Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes.'_

Harry nodded dumbly.

Draco swirled around, the Trio gasping in amazement at the sight of the long whiskers growing from his sculpted cheeks.

"Why don't you lot say something?" said Draco in a loud voice whilst his whiskers twitched in anger; then they curled upwards as he flashed them his trademark smirk. "Kneazle got your tongue?"

Ron sniggered. "Reckon it was a fox, Malfoy!"

Hermione's lips twitched as she valiantly fought to stifle her laughter; Harry wasn't so successful, though. The Auror laughed raucously whilst Draco glared at him, the silver tail wiggling and pointing menacingly towards Harry like a furry wand.

"Potter, why are you laughing?" roared Draco.

"You ate," said Harry between gales of laughter, "prank candy!"

"Ought to last 15 minutes," piped up Ron, before resuming his sniggering.

Draco threw the half-eaten candy into the chimney and stomped towards the mirror hanging above the shelf, his tail furiously slashing through the air in a gesture Hermione found quite familiar. It reminded her of Crookshanks, and she finally burst into laughter to Draco's growing anger.

He squeaked at his reflection on the mirror and took out his wand to _Disapparate_, not before turning to snarl at Harry. Draco's pained grimace sobered up the Auror but it was too late, his boyfriend was gone.

"What will I do?" moaned Harry, ruffling his hair.

"You'll think of something, mate," said Ron consolingly as he leaned towards Harry and patted his broad shoulder.

"I'm sure you will," said Hermione softly, after she had recovered her composure. "Quite frankly, I was missing the sight of the two of you fighting like cats and... foxes."

Harry glared at her.

* * *

oOoOo

The lean man unfolded his long limbs from the chimney. Straightening up, he brushed the ash off of his robes, his long red locks brushing against his shoulders. "Why did you call me, Draco?"

"I do not appreciate becoming the unwitting victim of your prank, Weasley!" growled Draco, his fingers brushing his smooth cheeks as if he sought a remainder of the pesky whiskers.

"Sorry, mate," said the man, his wicked smirk belying the succinct apology.

Draco scowled at the visitor, finally turning to look at the hedges in the garden of the Manor, visible through the French windows. "What do you have to report?"

He muttered through clenched teeth, "I wonder sometimes why I used _Levilipetrus _to save you, Fred."

"Glad you did, grumpy git!" Fred Weasley beamed at Draco, having watched the effects of their prank thanks to Luna's pensieve, plus Ron's memory.

"To answer your question, George and I finally managed to slip one of the devices we've been working on into Unspeakable headquarters. Very interesting stuff."

"I must say your talents complement mine, in my ventures in and out of Gringotts." Draco said, his lips quirking upwards in a Slytherin smirk.

* * *

_tbc_


	15. The snowman

"Buy Malfoy some Chocolate Frogs," Ron said, gazing at his friend.

"No, that's too simple and Draco's raging mad," said Harry.

"I know he likes books, so why don't you dash off to Oxford Street and buy him one?" suggested Hermione.

"Books are too impersonal," said Harry, recoiling at Hermione's glare at his answer.

"Turn him into a hippogriff and ride him," piped up George.

"Are you barmy?" growled Harry and then he looked around. "Where's Fred anyway?"

"He's around," said George mysteriously, wiggling his eyebrows. "On secret WWW business."

Harry rolled his eyes.

George glanced at the clock over the mantelpiece and stood up. "Well, I have to go, my dear gits. You should do what I say, Harry."

George Apparated into Malfoy Manor. He stuck his wand into his robes but before he could ask the house-elf the whereabouts of Draco and Fred, he heard a smooth, cultured voice, "Mr Weasley, if you please."

He whirled around and then nodded, "Mrs Malfoy."

Narcissa stared at him. "You know Slytherins have long memories, don't you?"

"Really?" said George casually.

"I can assure you of that. I remember Draco telling me about the time you and your brother held him whilst Harry beat him up."

George gulped at her menacing tone.

"But I will let bygones be bygones, as long as you and your brothers help Draco this time." Narcissa said sweetly, stepping towards George to nudge the collar of his shirt. "Understood?"

"Yes," breathed George.

"Draco and Fred are in the parlour," said Narcissa, walking towards the door. She called over her shoulder, "Please tell Draco the anchor is a portkey that will take him to any place in the vicinity."

"Why don't you tell him?" said George sceptically.

"I don't want my son to think I'm too Slytherin."

George rolled his eyes. "Fine, then."

* * *

oOoOo

"Will we have to wait for long, Weasley?" drawled Draco, staring at the snow that coated the garden.

At that moment, George knocked on the door and entered, waving at the two wizards. "Oi, blond and ginger gits!"

"Do you have it, old chap?" said Fred.

"In my pocket," said George.

Noticing Draco's raised eyebrow, George took out a Knut which he proceeded to lay on the table. He fished out his wand from his pocket and swished it at the coin, muttering an explanation, "It's a listening gadget we perfected. Fred managed to slip it into Luna's office."

"That's how we found out she's an Unspeakable," said Fred.

George motioned for him to stop talking because out of the coin, tinny voices could be heard.

"This glow you observed… Malfoy and Potter were engaged in…"

"Sexual congress, I think," said Luna.

The other voice, a man's, coughed in embarrassment and then went on, "There are disquieting signs, such as a disturbing increase in the number of crop circles that follow strange patterns, mostly in southern England. Ministry workers consider them fairy rings, even the work of drunken wizards!" The man snorted. "Those fools!"

"The ley lines, sir," muttered Luna.

"Beg your pardon, Unspeakable?"

"I've studied the maps, Mr Bledsoe, and the crop circles in the fields follow ancient roads which in turn were built along ley lines," said Luna in a dreamy voice. "My father believes those lines pulse with energy."

"That's interesting, Unspeakable Lovegood; still, it doesn't tell us what's going to happen."

"Did you have people look for the prophecies I mentioned?" asked Luna.

"Indeed. Let me tell you the results." The man paused and the sound of ruffling parchments could be heard coming from the coin. "Here it is, Lovegood. We collated the results from several prophecies that seem to talk about the same thing; Unspeakable Hampton is quite good at that, I might add. I'll read it to you."

The three wizards listened intently to the man's words.

_"At the solstice will come a new age, bereft of impurities, and none will come after."_ They heard the man coughing and then he finished, "That's all we could get, Lovegood. Mighty difficult to get even this."

"I see, sir."

"Any progress towards finding out what _Caithor Gall_ means?"

"I'm afraid not, Mr Bedloe."

"Keep working on it, Lovegood," said the man reassuringly. "The Department is quite satisfied with your work. The fact people overlook your abilities works in our favour, though I'm afraid your work will have to remain secret even from your friends."

* * *

oOoOo

"Didn't know you made snowmen, Draco," said George, staring at the neat mouth formed by buttons, his gaze sliding down to the vertical row of dark stones that signalled the snowman's coat.

Draco trudged on the snow ahead of the twins, his boots making swooshing sounds. "Your brother told me about the times you lot made snowmen." He sighed deeply and stared at the snow-covered hedges. "It sounded like fun, and I never made any so I took the time to build them."

Draco hunched his shoulders and trod on, and thus did not see Fred winking at George, who brandished his wand at the snowman and muttered a spell. The figure was upended.

Draco glanced back and growled, "Merlin's beard! What did you do?"

George wrapped his arm around Fred's shoulders and grinned at Draco. "Your snowman was too fat, he needed to do push-ups."

"Blond git, we have to leave you here," said George.

"Time flies in the spying business," added Fred.

The twins bowed at Draco and disapparated, leaving Draco staring disconsolately at the snowman, whose belly was sagging dangerously.

* * *

Draco sensed Harry's presence before the Gryffindor spoke. It had always been so between them, he thought as he turned to behold him.

"Oi, Draco," said Harry, snuggling into his woollen cloak. He lifted up his gloved hand which held a badly wrapped basket. "Brought you some apples as apology for laughing and all that. Didn't know what to…"

Harry trailed off when he watched closely the funny snowman. "Merlin's beard! What did you do?"

"Wasn't me, Potter," said Draco as the upper part of the snowman fell to the ground with a plopping sound. He sighed sadly as he grabbed the basket Harry offered.

"Could use an apple right now," he muttered.

Harry's glance went from the snowman to Draco's sad face and he grinned at this boyfriend.

"Well, we could eat the apples after we build our snowman." He crouched and began to gather snow.

"That's a fine idea, Harry," Draco said, beaming at him as he crouched next to Harry, ready to collaborate in the building of what, he believed, would be the best snowman in Wiltshire.

* * *

_tbc_


	16. Candles and wine

"So what are those ley lines again?" Harry said, hefting his glass of red wine.

"Energy lines," said Draco. "I've found them referenced in the books I've consulted during my Gringotts work."

Harry glanced around at the room. It wasn't the main dining room at the Manor; it felt cosier somehow.

Draco saluted him with his glass of wine. "I'm glad you decided to stay for the night."

"Reckon Narcissa's invitation came in handy." Harry caressed the smooth stem of the glass, his shoulders drooping. The disquieting news imparted by Draco had turned a joyous day into a thoughtful evening.

"Why are you so pensive?" Draco leaned forwards to ruffle Harry's hair.

"It's too much," Harry said with a sigh. "Those bloody prophecies annoy me!"

"I can understand," said Draco. "Your friends might come up with something, though. I owled them the news."

"That's good." Harry gazed sharply at Draco. "How did you know?"

Draco fidgeted with his red napkin. "I have sources."

Harry lifted the rim of his glasses with his pinkie, wiggling his eyebrows. "Reckon they are _twin_ sources."

"You knew?"

"Hard to miss the signs, Draco," Harry grinned at his boyfriend. "You three are thick as thieves, as Bill told me."

"I forget Bill is your inside source," said Draco admiringly. "Quite Slytherin of you."

"Also used the observational skills Auror training left me with," said Harry with a shrug. "The last teacher I had was quite worse than Moody, let me tell you."

"I can see that."

"Am glad you told me, Draco." Harry pushed aside his half-finished dish. The new worries had done nothing for his appetite.

"Didn't want you stalking me, Harry," said Draco insinuatingly.

Harry blushed. "I had to follow you during Sixth Year and…"

"That's fine, Harry."

* * *

oOoOo

Hermione read the parchment containing the prophecy, nursing her thumb. Malfoy had used a very irascible eagle owl.

"I don't know what it means," she glanced at Ron, who was staring at the window of their apartment. "What do you think?"

"I don't like it at all, Mione. That prophecy reminds me of the whole thing with You-Know-Who. I wonder if he didn't have a backup plan in case Harry won."

"Why would he?" Hermione said shrewdly. "He was confident in his Death Eaters."

"Malfoy wasn't such a good Death Eater."

"He wasn't, was he? What kind of a Death Eater saves Fred?"

"No, I mean Lucius," said Ron. "He looked so wan; though I imagine living with You-Know-Who could do that to anyone."

Hermione shuddered. "It must have been nightmarish for the Malfoys."

"Wonder why You-Know-Who stayed there," said Ron wonderingly.

"The Manor is quite spacious."

"But there were other rich Death Eaters," said Ron. "Whatever, I'm glad Narcissa redecorated."

"So am I," said Hermione in a small voice. She didn't want to remember what had transpired there, and the new decoration helped when they visited there.

* * *

_ tbc_


	17. Santa Draco

_**Warning:** NC-17_

* * *

Draco grabbed the pancake, attracted by the green decoration. He gazed at his mother and arched his eyebrow. "Was it baked at the Manor?"

"Belix baked it," said Narcissa. "Why the question?"

Draco took a large bite, closing his eyes at the deliciously sweet, minty flavour that rolled over his tongue like mist upon the Manor gardens.

Narcissa waited patiently, well aware of her son's sweet tooth.

Finally, Draco heaved a deep sigh of contentment and nodded at her. "Delicious, mother. I asked because it might have been a prank of the Weasleys."

"Your accomplices betray you, Draco?" drawled Narcissa, her voice laden with amusement.

"Not accomplices but friends, and they are rather Slytherin too." Draco fidgeted with his robes and glanced up at the ceiling, imagining Harry waiting patiently for him in his bedroom.

He gazed at Narcissa and muttered, "Do you know the whereabouts of Mr Blenkin?"

"Who?"

"Mr Blenkin, the…"

"Oh, you mean your teddy bear?" Narcissa lifted her eyebrow.

"Yes, Mother."

"The one you threw away when you were nine because Lucius scoffed at you?"

"Mother!"

"It was so torn its left arm hung by a thread, the poor thing. I had to rescue the bear from the house-elves."

"Mother?"

"I remember you never asked for it, only mentioning it casually in your letters… " Narcissa paused and watched Draco gazing sadly at the floor. She shook her head minutely and said, "Very well, very well, son. I won't ask what you want it for."

She took out her wand from beneath her robes and brandished it towards the door. "_Accio_ Draco's bear!"

Thudding sounds came from the next room and Narcissa muttered low under her breath, "Let's hope it is not Harry that comes!"

"Mother!" said Draco, blushing hotly.

Holding the bear snugly under his arm, Draco sauntered out of the room. He decided to conjure a Santa hat, rather than ask Narcissa and suffer his mother's sarcastic remarks.

* * *

oOoOo

Harry gazed avidly at Draco's neat handwriting upon the flimsy parchment. It held an ancient map of Britain, drawn during Roman times to judge from the colourful names. It was crisscrossed by tiny lines which all converged in…

He leaned down to peer closely at the squiggly lines of the old calligraphy which read: _Sarum._

"Harry, will you look at me?" growled Draco.

Harry tilted his chin, the parchment slipping from his limp fingers at the sight that greeted his eyes.

Draco stood inside the room, clad only in white briefs and a Santa hat whose tip dangled next to his sculpted cheek. Draco cocked his head to the side, looking intently at Harry as he tried to gauge his reaction. He carried an enormous teddy bear on his back. Harry's gaze caressed the toned chest, those perky nipples that just begged to be tweaked and laved with kisses, his gaze sliding downward to the ridges and valleys of his abs, down to the perfect v of his hips until Harry reached his bulge.

He palmed his cock, narrowing his eyes at the letters knit into the waistband.

Draco wiggled the bear's paw, saying in a high voice, "Hi, Harry Potter, my name is Mr Blenkin."

Harry smiled broadly at that. "You named your bear Mr Blenkin?"

"Reckon so." Draco shrugged. "When we were making the snowman, you mentioned you didn't have toys in your childhood and I thought I'd give you Mr Blenkin as an early Christmas present."

"That's very nice," said Harry, stalking towards Draco and placing his palm flat upon the blond's bulge. He wiggled his eyebrows, saying in a breathy whisper, "_Lick_, Draco?"

"If you want."

Harry sank to his knees and hooked his thumbs under the elastic band. Then he yanked down the underpants, the thick shaft bobbing free from its confinement. He slipped the briefs off Draco's long legs and threw them away with a lazy motion.

Harry's nostrils flared as he inhaled the musky scent that was Draco. He scooted forward on his knees and breathed next to the throbbing cock, eliciting a gasp from Draco.

"Harry!" said Draco in a low guttural voice that shot straight to Harry's prick. It made him feel powerful, this ability to play Draco like a fine musical instrument – to be the recipient of his smirk and smiles.

Harry shuddered as he recalled the flare of jealousy he felt watching Draco next to Voldemort, and the compassion that flourished in his heart at the sight of Voldemort torturing the blond during wartime. As he gazed up at Draco, his hands caressed the back of Draco's knee which was trembling.

Despite Voldemort's power and cruelty, Harry possessed Draco in a way the Dark wizard never could - enmity that slowly transmuted into want until, finally, it was distilled into pure love.

The sight of Harry's green eyes, gleaming in the afternoon, as the Auror mouthed his cockhead before swallowing him a few inches caused Draco's knees to buckle, and the bear fell to the floor with a loud thump.

Harry moaned around the shaft, his hand caressing the soft furred balls. He reluctantly let go and looked up at Draco, a thick strand of saliva joining his lips to the angry-looking purple head.

"Harry," moaned Draco, his hand cupping gently Harry's skull and pushing towards his arousal.

Harry went to work and swallowed him, his tongue swirling hungrily as he moaned, his hand reaching down to fumble with the buttons of his trousers before he cast a wandless spell and vanished them.

Draco was too worked up at the sight of Harry to last long; pale hands tugged on the wild locks whilst his hips stabbed towards the hungry mouth that engulfed him. He came with a hoarse grunt, emptying his seed.

Draco's fingers brushed Harry's fringe, his heart beating madly inside his chest like the untamed Snitch which, Draco realised with a start, Harry finally had managed to catch, ever the Seeker.

"Want me to reciprocate?" said Draco, panting.

"Nope, later I reckon. Almost there," grunted Harry, his fist moving in a blur around the dark cockmeat which Draco eyed hungrily.

Harry climaxed, thick ropes of come escaping from between clenched fingers.

Draco rubbed Harry's sweaty forehead before the Auror stood on his knees and kissed his navel, his scar touching briefly the _Sectumsempra_ trace on Draco's abs.

A huge glow illuminated the room, visible even from the Garden where Narcissa paused in her tea, and uttered a prayer to the ancient gods so they may watch out over the boys.

"What in Merlin's beard?" said Harry in alarm.

Draco offered him his hand and helped the Auror to his feet before replying, "That's the glow I told you about."

He licked his lips at the sight of Harry's semi-erect cock. "We'll deal with it later. I insist in reciprocating because this night belongs to us, don't you agree?"

Harry shivered at the blond's ardent gaze, his arousal twitching in renewed vigour.

* * *

oOoOo

"I don't see a pattern here," said Hermione slowly, and put down the list of strange incidents involving Harry's magic.

"Maybe if you compare with this list?" said Luna in a dreamy voice, pushing a smooth parchment towards Hermione.

"What is it?" said Ron.

Luna's eyebrows arched. "Weird incidents involving Draco's magic."

"Where did you get them?" said Hermione in a suspicious tone. "Didn't know you were friends with him."

"Mrs Malfoy gave me the list," said Luna distantly, her gaze lost in contemplating the books on the shelf. Before Hermione could say anything, Luna shrugged delicately. "For a Quibbler article on strange occurrences."

"Oh," said Ron in a small voice.

"You won't find anything there, though," said Luna. "I compared the lists and found no correlations."

"Wait, do you have Harry's incidents too?" said Ron, and then he shrugged. "Reckon they might come in handy for the Quibbler."

"Indeed," said Luna matter-of-factly.

"I've read the report about the witch who attacked Harry and Draco," said Ron, looking at Hermione. "Mrs Winmer - that's her name - she says she doesn't remember anything. The Healers at St. Mungo's say she wasn't hit by_ Imperius_ or anything, yet she bears traces of lingering magic. Still mumbled about drunken giants, though."

He turned to Luna and grinned. "Might come in handy for your article."

"I'm sure it will," said Luna kindly, patting the redhead's arm. "You're very kind, Ron."

Hermione lifted her arms in exasperation. "We still haven't found what the curse does!"

"It might help us to examine Voldemort's motives," suggested Luna.

"You-Know-Who wanted power." Ron shivered. "He didn't stop at anything to rule the world."

"You're right, Ron." Hermione pushed the parchments with the lists towards her pile of books. "But Voldemort wanted something else even more, remember? He wanted to live forever."

"You-Know-Who prepared those…" Ron paused, not wanting to divulge the existence of the Horcruxes in front of Luna. Then he remembered she had mentioned them a month ago; apparently a Ministry official had mentioned it to the Quibbler in strictest confidence.

"He had the Horcruxes," finished Ron.

Hermione shuddered. "What if the curse is really not a curse, but a new Horcrux?"

"Harry destroyed all of them," Luna said.

"And Voldemort destroyed the one that was inside Harry," mumbled Hermione.

"Lots of deaths during the Final Battle," said Ron ominously.

"Do you think Voldemort made a new Horcrux and put it inside Harry?" said Hermione, her voice quivering at the end.

"No, Harry hasn't felt anything in his scar," said Ron. "Surely if You-Know-Who had had another one – if that was the solstice curse – Harry would've felt it by now."

"That's good. Hadn't thought about that, Ron," said Hermione, letting out a sigh of relief.

She picked up her quill to cross off ideas on her parchment and glanced up at Ron, shivering at the sight of her fiancé blanching, his freckles stark against his pale cheeks.

"What is it, Ron?" said Hermione gently.

"Here, have this." Luna gently placed into Ron's hand a Honeydukes chocolate. "It'll make you feel better."

Ron ate the sweet distractedly and then said, his voice trembling, "What if Voldemort placed a Horcrux, but not in Harry?"

* * *

_tbc_


	18. Somerset House

"What do you mean, Ron?" Hermione said, glancing fleetingly at the fire. She was expecting Harry any minute now, and she felt she needed to hear Ron's ideas first.

"We discussed this before." Ron ruffled his fringe with a casual gesture before sitting down on the comfy chair. "Malfoy Manor, remember? Why did You-Know-Who…"

He paused for a moment and said forcefully, "Blimey! Voldemort. Why did Voldemort stayed there?"

At Luna's curious gaze, Ron muttered low under his breath, "We fought for the freedom to say his stupid name!"

"He wanted to punish Lucius, humiliate him," said Hermione thoughtfully. She stood up and went to the shelf, fingering the cover of the books. Somehow, this situation made their printed words, which she had grown to know by heart, seem quite remote. What did she have to learn, for example, from Plutarch's description of ancient Greek leaders in _'Parallel lives'_?

"Git could've done that anywhere," growled Ron at last.

"You think Voldemort put a horcrux in one of the Malfoys while he was at the Manor?" said Luna, shuddering at the remembrance of her stay in the dungeons.

"Not really," said Ron, and cradled his face in his hands. "Though Voldemort seemed too obsessed by them to be sure. Anyway, to plant his horcrux he needed to kill, didn't he?"

"Yes," said Hermione.

"Plenty of that during the Final Battle," said Ron in a low voice, remembering those frantic hours. He tilted up his chin to look at Hermione, his blue eyes contrasting sharply with his coppery hair. "Why did Voldemort hug Draco?"

Hermione shuddered and sat down heavily next to Ron. "What do you think he was doing?"

"I've heard reports he was working on something," said Luna distractedly. "Despite his seemingly invincible armies, he was not so sure; he was even afraid he would lose at the end. He was, after all, a Dark wizard with heaps of knowledge of the forbidden Arts."

"Exactly!" said Ron wearily, and heaved a deep sigh. "What if the words Lucius told Harry, sol sibber…?"

"_Sol sistere_," corrected Hermione automatically.

"Whatever." Ron nodded. "What if those words were an incantation, a special kind of horcrux he developed that activates when certain conditions meet?"

"During the winter solstice." Hermione gazed thoughtfully at the crackling logs in the chimney, feeling for a moment as lost and bereft of hope as during those heinous hours at the Manor where, she remembered, Draco hadn't betrayed them.

"What about the prophecy, though?" said Ron, his eyebrows puzzling in thought. "How does the thing go?"

_"At the solstice will come a new age, bereft of impurities, and none will come after,"_ Luna recited the prophecy in a businesslike voice, devoid of her usual dreaminess.

"It could mean Voldemort will return to rid the world of what he considered impurities, and no Dark wizards with that kind of power will come after," said Hermione, her shoulders drooping.

"When Voldemort hugged Draco," said Luna wonderingly. "Having committed plenty of murders, he might have done that to transfer the horcrux."

"Do we tell Harry?" said Hermione, her heart clenching at the idea of taking away any part of the happiness Harry had so painfully earned.

"We have to," muttered Ron through clenched teeth. "He ought to know."

"What if he tells Draco?" said Luna, her gaze lost in the flickering flames.

"That's Harry's decision." Hermione looked at the round object that floated above the table, the runes decorating the frame like the scribbling of spiders. Then she squared her shoulders and said briskly, "Thankfully, we've got the Pensieve; we need to study the moment Voldemort hugged Draco."

Luna took out her wand. "Let me offer my memory, then. I remember the devastation as if it was yesterday."

Harry stumbled out of the chimney at that moment, and his knees would have landed painfully on the floor but for Ron's steadying hand.

"Thanks, mate," said Harry, looking up at his friends who were all staring anxiously at him.

"What's the matter?" he said tentatively.

"We've got news," said Ron. "You aren't going to like it, mate."

* * *

oOoOo

Hermione pulled up her woollen scarf; her gloved hands stuck in the pockets of her overcoat as she watched the people making their way around the skating rink. She envied the way they frolicked upon the ice, so joyful and free.

"Managed to convince the policeman not to report the incident," said Luna, brushing aside a curl of her blond hair.

"And I've dealt with the people involved," said Hermione. "Their shoes made them whirl around randomly, quite similar to _Tarantallegra_." She muttered under her breath, "Some enterprising wizard must have modified the spell."

"You've got to admit, liaising with Muggles is sometimes fun," said Luna.

Hermione glanced up at Somerset House and then turned to Luna. "Dad got a brochure the other day, and there's art I want to see in the Courtauld Collection. Do you mind if…"

"I'll go with you," said Luna. "Muggles have such an interesting way of looking at the world."

* * *

oOoOo

Inside the building, Hermione tugged Luna's arm, pointing at a corridor. "There's another painting by Constable I want to see."

"The last one, showing Salisbury cathedral from the meadows, was quite nice," Luna observed as they strolled on the corridor.

"So far we've seen five paintings of Wiltshire, including one which almost shows the Manor," said Hermione.

"That's strange; it seems as if we're pulled towards them."

"Oh, it's a spell I devised," said Hermione matter-of-factly. "It tells me the whereabouts of any painting showing Wiltshire, like this one." She pointed at a painting depicting a landscape in which forbidding clouds hovered over a place where oblivion reigned. Rocks were haphazardly strewn over barren soil; some stood tall and some leaned on their fellows, the whole looking like Grawp had been there just moments before John Constable arrived.

Luna nodded and then turned her face to Hermione. "That's a pretty impressive spell."

"I saw the way you handled the policeman," Hermione said calmly. "He underestimated you, and thus you were able to persuade him easily. With me it's quite the opposite."

"What do you mean?"

"This ability of mine to create spells didn't get me the Unspeakable job I wanted," said Hermione. "I reckon watching Ron and Harry doing their exciting jobs was contagious because I wanted something like that; but that fellow Bledsoe didn't want me." Hermione lowered her gaze.

Luna patted her friend's shoulder. "I would imagine being an Unspeakable is a tedious job, and they need unassuming people. You stand out, Hermione."

"Yes, I know." Hermione bit her lip.

"Don't worry," said Luna briskly, before skipping down the corridor and calling over her shoulder. "I'm sure you will achieve greatness, whether you like it or not."

* * *

_tbc_


	19. The playwitch centrefold

"Sorry to bother you, Draco, but I needed advice in the matter of the treasure in this manor." Bill Weasley's earring glinted when it caught the sunbeams pouring through the open window as he paced to and fro in the small study in Flackwell Heath.

Draco sighed. "Your letter was a bit frantic. You said to travel using portkey, though."

"I know." Bill nodded slowly. "There's been trouble with Apparition; loads of people admitted to St. Mungo's because they got splinched. Reckon the Floo is still reliable; I don't know for how long."

Draco nodded absently. "Harry mentioned it in his message."

Bill came to an abrupt stop near the window, his ponytail swishing like the mane of an impatient centaur. "You and Harry, huh?"

"Well, Potter and I have…"

"You don't need to explain, Draco." Bill turned to Draco and made a sweeping movement with his arm. "I saw that forthcoming, anyone with eyes would have. Anyway, to business; I know you've researched ancient curses and obligations."

"I have, Weasley." Draco fished inside his robes and took out a yellowed parchment which he put on the table.

"What do you have here?" said Bill curiously, his tall frame leaning down as he stared at it.

"A network of ancient Roman roads, which isn't important right now." Draco's pale hand carefully smoothed the vellum, thinned by the centuries. "What's important is that the parchment contains a reference to the first uses of the Unbreakable Vow."

"It does?" Bill tilted up his chin, his blue eyes piercing Draco.

"Indeed, Bill. It's clear to me the Vow is a modified form of a_ geas_." Draco's voice became progressively softer as he thought about Severus and the Unbreakable Vow he laboured under. It had sparked his interest in finding out more about those curses.

"An obligation is placed upon the wizard and if he doesn't carry it out, he dies," whispered Draco.

"Sounds like the Vow all right," said Bill. "I learned about that when I worked in the castle near Cork." He pushed away the parchment and leaned against the table, glancing down at his dragonhide boots. "An old man told me the tale of Cúchulainn. He had a _geas_ placed on him, never to eat dog meat."

"Another one was to eat any food offered by a woman, so when an old hag offered him dog meat..."

Bill shrugged, "Version I heard is a bit different, Draco. The end result is the same though, the hero couldn't fulfil both simultaneously and so he died."

Draco looked up at Bill. "I take it a _geas_ was placed upon the owner of the treasure, never to sell it."

"Nope, it's more complex. The owner can sell it, but I've deduced that a _geas_ was placed upon the land. Far as I can tell, if the treasure strays a few miles from the property, the owner dies."

"We will have to find the shortcut, a Slytherin way out." Draco's grey eyes glinted at the promise of outwitting the caster of the curse; this was his mettle and Draco was convinced he was quite good at it.

* * *

oOoOo

Harry nursed his glass of firewhiskey in front of the cosy chimney fire in Grimmauld Place. He was overwhelmed by the information his friends had provided. The notion that Draco could have Voldemort's horcrux inside him unnerved him. It just didn't seem possible because he knew all the symptoms and Draco displayed none.

Harry sighed as he remembered Voldemort's ugly tricks. Yet he knew what it felt like to have one of the bloody things inside and could see no signs of it in Draco. The blond was courteous if overly sarcastic, and really a nice person.

His gaze slid towards the huge teddy bear propped up on the chair near the corner and Harry shook his head; he couldn't believe that the person who had gifted him Mr Blenkin held a horcrux inside.

They needed to talk, so Harry had sent Draco a _Patronus_ message. He wanted Draco's opinion because he refused to play Dumbledore's game. Harry still fumed when he remembered his Fourth Year and Dumbledore always averting his gaze, thus fuelling his despair and hopelessness until Voldemort tricked him into going to the Ministry where Sirius died.

No, he would give Draco the chance Dumbledore never gave him. Harry's gut instincts told him to share all the information he had. Working together, they would get to the bottom of this.

Harry stood up, walked to the table and glanced down at the glossy Playwitch Christmas issue. A tawny owl, quite irascible, had brought it an hour ago.

He needed to kill some time before Draco arrived and his nerves were shot to hell, so Harry ruffled the pages as he browsed through it. The centrefold was a well-built wizard who strongly resembled that git, Cormac McLaggen. He wore a Santa hat and sexy briefs. The wizard was handsome, his toned chest and abs smooth like silk, but he had nothing on Draco, Harry decided.

His face softening as he remembered the blond, Harry realised it wasn't just his good looks he loved but their shared history.

He sat down on the chair and grabbed parchment and a quill, dipping the point in the inkwell that stood precariously next to the books Hermione had brought.

He wanted to pour out his feelings in a letter but, after a few aborted attempts, he gave up. How could he express in words the sensations the Slytherin evoked? The memories of his Hogwarts years seemed faded sometimes, like sepia photographs in the Daily Prophet.

Draco, however, was indelibly stamped in his brain with the force of a hippogriff's hoof. His recollections of Draco were precise and sharp. He didn't need a Pensieve to visualise his Slytherin and the precise hue of his gleaming hair in the sun as he chased after the Snitch, or the sharp contour of his green Quidditch robes flapping in the wind.

"Harry?" said Draco tentatively.

Harry turned his face and saw Draco holding up a glittering object which he recognised as one of the charms from the pudding.

Noting Harry's expression, Draco shrugged. "It is a portkey, Fred and George told me. I've modified it a bit." He put it inside his robes. "Bill and I managed to solve that case. It was quite complex but we…"

"Later, Draco," Harry lifted his hand, smiling wearily. "Won't you sit down? I have to tell you something important."

With an elegant, economic motion, Draco sat down on the chair opposite Harry.

"My friends have come up with the strangest idea which, by the way, I do not share," said Harry, and then launched into the tale.

* * *

_ tbc_


	20. The Hall of Drunken Giants

"I don't believe you have a horcrux inside," said Harry urgently, his green eyes piercing Draco. "Do you feel a stabbing pain from time to time? Do you have a sudden urge to maim someone?"

"Reckon I don't," said Draco slowly, his eyes lingering on the Christmas tree he had helped Harry decorate. His pale fingers rubbed circles on his forehead.

"Your friends make a good point, though, because why would the Dark…?" Draco paused and then muttered through clenched teeth, "Why would Voldemort hug me?"

"I've no idea, Draco." Harry's voice was tinged with worry. "Wish I did."

"I believe I can tell you why he stayed at the Manor."

"Why?"

"Voldemort wanted to humiliate Father and the purebloods he represented. He was quite bitter at the way he was treated at Hogwarts, I suppose, from what I heard after the Battle." Draco crossed his legs and stared at the crackling fire. "I think at the end he resented purebloods, and perhaps magic itself."

"And the prophecy?"

Draco scoffed. "Doesn't have to be fulfilled now, does it? Perhaps those events are meant to happen a hundred years from now, who knows?"

Harry looked up at the swooshing sounds of the Floo coming to life. He hoped it was Hermione and Luna coming from their assignment, and he was proved right.

Hermione smiled weakly at Harry as she brushed the ash off her shoulders, and then she turned to stare quizzically at Draco. Finally, she nodded to herself and walked up to the table whilst Luna, having arrived the same way, made her way to another chair and plopped down.

"What do you think, Hermione?" said Draco.

Hermione hefted a book and pointed it at Draco. "I want to hear your opinion first, Draco."

Draco preened a little as he steepled his fingers. "What would you say Voldemort was feeling those last few days? It will provide us insight into the curse."

Hermione leaned on the table and bit her bottom lip before gazing at Harry. "I think Voldemort hated you and wanted to prevail over you. To kill Harry Potter would prove to his supporters he was the most powerful wizard in the world."

"But he hated Muggleborns most of all," said Draco. "Did so for decades before Harry was even born. I reckon he abhorred the idea of them wielding magic; certainly heard him muttering about it in the Manor corridors."

"What you say might be true, but…" Hermione couldn't go on because Ron appeared in the room, announced by the whooshing sound of a portkey.

Unclenching his hand, Ron put the old sock back into his pocket. Seeing Hermione's raised eyebrows, he said, "Portkey. Can't use the Floo because it's wild at the Ministry. The network works intermittently and isn't reliable."

On his other hand, Ron held a battered-looking box which looked as if Hagrid had sat upon it. He waved it towards the Christmas tree. "Harry, I bought the ornaments for the tree but a clumsy wizard stepped on the box."

Opening the carton, Ron peered inside and picked up a piece of jagged, broken glass. He grimaced and turned to Draco. "These Christmas baubles were shaped like snowmen. Bought them to make up for Fred and George's prank."

Draco appeared surprised and moved at Ron's gesture and shot him a weak grin. "Thanks, Ron. Appreciate it."

Hermione had taken out her wand and she brandished it towards the box with studied casualness. She cast a _Reparo_ but the spell backfired, reflecting against the box so the oncoming jet hit a painting on the wall which fell to the floor with a thudding sound. Harry frowned at the sound of Phineas Nigellus muttering angrily.

Ron took the strange occurrence with a shrug. "Doesn't surprise me, magic's been flaring up at the Ministry all day."

Draco shuddered when he heard that. He gazed contemplatively at the Christmas tree, recalling how the Weasley twins lamented that their prank with the green and red Christmas baubles had failed.

"Harry," Draco said slowly. "Ron told me the reason he brought me here was because your magic had gone out of control."

"Reckon it had." Harry blinked owlishly at the blond, and then he shrugged. "Not since we're together, though. It works well enough now. Remember the wandless spells I cast at the witch that attacked us? Those worked fine."

Draco took out his wand, his alabaster fingers rubbing the surface as if testing how pliable it was. He stood up and sauntered towards Harry. "Maybe if we cast the spell at the same time?"

Harry's fingers touched the wand and he nudged his wrist towards Ron and the box.

"Ron, you might want to put the box on the table," said Harry. "Don't want to hurt you, mate."

"Nope, I'll take my chances." Ron squared his shoulders and faced the Seekers with a determined look on his face. Harry noticed it was similar to the one he sported when directing the chess pieces in First Year.

"Ever the hero, Weasley," said Draco, a brief smile belying his sarcastic tone.

The two wizards muttered the spell which appeared to work this time. They all heard the pieces of glass tinkling inside. Ron picked up an intact snowman bauble, its black top hat a jaunty dash of colour against the snowy body.

"Well done, mate," said Ron. He walked up to the table and put the box there. "What does it mean?"

"The magic started misbehaving with you two." Hermione scrunched up her eyebrows as her keen mind tried to piece the puzzles together. "Now it has spread to the Ministry."

"Don't forget the other occurrences," said Luna in a factual tone. She had picked up a snowman and was holding it next to her robes, appearing to contemplate whether to make a necklace out of it. After a few seconds, she shrugged and put it back on the box.

Noting the quizzical looks directed towards her, Luna said, "The crop circles along the roads? Magic started misbehaving right there, as if these were fracture lines which spread from some central point."

"What did you say?" asked Draco in an alarmed voice.

"Fracture lines from a central point," repeated Luna.

Draco fumbled with the buttons of his robes before he could fish out from his pocket a yellowed parchment. He went to the table and spread it upon the polished wood, Hermione peering intently at it.

"Roman map," she said, recognising the calligraphy. "It must be very old."

"I've been studying it to break a curse." Draco smoothed the parchment as Harry peered over his shoulder, and Harry's breath against the fine hairs of his nape elicited a shudder from him.

"Oi, I've seen it before," said Harry. "Those roads are like spikes that lead to a central hub."

Harry frowned as he tried to remember. "The name on the map was Sarum."

"Sarum?" Hermione said sharply, "That's the ancient name for Salisbury."

"Which, if I may point out, is pretty near the Manor," said Draco in a worried voice.

Luna tiptoed over to join them and gazed at the map. "Have you noticed that those roads follow the ley lines?"

"The what lines?" said Ron.

"Some people believe the ley lines hold mystical power," said Draco. "I know about them because some of the cursed treasures Bill and I have had to deal with are on places along those lines."

The group was distracted by the swooshing sounds coming from the fire. Two lean bodies disentangled themselves, their red hair gleaming whilst they brushed the ash off each other's shoulders.

"There you go, Gred."

"Thanks, Forge."

George looked up at the others and lifted his eyebrows. "What's with you lot? Seems like you've seen a ghost." He nudged Fred's elbow and smirked at them, "Gred, reckon these gits could have helped us man the store, because today was busy!"

"The magic disturbances, I suppose," said Harry. He was used to the twins' antics so he was the first to recover.

"What magic disturbances?" said Fred. "We mean the wizards and witches we got at the last minute. Wanted trinkets before they went to celebrate the solstice."

"The solstice?" said Draco thickly.

"It's today, Draco." Fred winked lewdly at him. "Reckon you're too busy doing the dirty with Harry to…"

"Merlin's beard!" said Hermione loudly. "Can't you two pipe down? We're trying to solve a mystery."

"Spoilsport," grumbled George. "You're acting just like the thin, wizened man who meandered into our shop."

"Yeah," said Fred. "Old bloke kept mumbling he had to make his way to _Caithor Gall_, the hall of playful trolls."

"He said drunken giants, Gred," corrected George. "I'm afraid your memory is failing in your old age."

"_Caithor Gall_?" Luna said sharply.

"Hall of drunken... giants?" said Hermione.

Draco nudged Harry's elbow. "That is what the witch who attacked us kept saying."

"_Caithor Gall_ is a name out of legend," said Luna reverently. When the others looked at her, she shrugged. "Dad heard it when we were hunting the Snorkack."

"Sure thing, Luna!" George snorted loudly as he elbowed Fred, who sniggered.

"What else did the man say?" Harry prodded George before the twins could go on a tangent.

"Old wizard bought a few trinkets and then left." George shrugged nonchalantly. "Said he was from Wales, and was visiting London on his way to the solstice celebration in Wiltshire."

"Where precisely?" said Harry sharply.

Draco had the answer on the tip of the tongue but he didn't say anything, overwhelmed for a moment because of the dimensions of the problem.

Hermione shuddered, picturing in her mind's eye the forlorn landscape she had watched in the John Constable painting in Somerset House. The dark clouds spread menacingly over a stark plain, bereft of human signs but for the monoliths there. A few of them had withstood the passage of millennia and stood proudly, as if they were in the bloom of youth, while others leaned drunkenly over the ground. They looked like discarded toys Grawp would leave behind.

Hermione imagined vividly the impressions it must have made on the people arriving there, long after the strange monument was built. They must have thought drunken giants used to dwell there and played with the ancient menhirs, each of them weighing as much as four tons.

Hermione sat down heavily on the chair, her heart thumping wildly against her chest as if she had to sit a tough exam, and then she whispered, "_Caithor Gall_, the hall of drunken giants which I've just seen in a painting."

She turned to Draco. "Why didn't we see it? Voldemort didn't choose your house because of wealth or anything else. He chose it for very practical reasons, because it was near to _Caithor Gall_."

"All the roads in that map." Draco nodded as he pointed to the table. "Lead to Sarum because the hall of drunken giants is there. The spot where the ley lines converge is a place I know well, for it is near home. It is Stonehenge."

* * *

_tbc_


	21. The nutcracker soldier

"What is going to happen in Stonehenge?" said George.

"Hopefully something funny?" said Fred tentatively.

The twins gazed at each other, a bit unnerved by the serious expressions of the others.

"I'm afraid it won't be funny." Luna's voice was devoid of the airiness that characterised her. "The magical disturbances are serious, and they are spreading like dragonpox out of control."

"We still haven't found out what the curse is!" Hermione ruffled her hair, perplexed at the mystery. She knew the clues implied a pattern but she hadn't yet found the connecting thread that would unite everything. She gazed at the cluttered table and reached towards her books but in her haste, she jostled the nutcracker she'd given Harry a year before. The tiny wooden soldier wobbled like a spin top before she gripped the base to straighten it, patting its hat in farewell.

"What's that?" Draco pointed at the figure; its long beard and blue eyes reminded him of Dumbledore.

"I gave Harry this nutcracker last Christmas. Quite useful to crack nuts."

Draco shook his head, muttering, "Silly Muggle custom!"

"Draco!" said Hermione in a scandalised voice.

Ron looked at Harry and wiggled his eyebrows. "While they discuss things in their usual way, can you show me the broom you told me about?"

Harry squinted sharply at Ron. He was quite sure Ron had already seen his new broom, but he shrugged and pointed to the door. The two Gryffindors made their way out of the room, walking towards the stairs. Ron sighed and tucked his hand inside his robes; after a few seconds he took out a device, the size of a cigarette lighter, which he pressed onto Harry's palm.

"Hold onto this for me, will you?" said Ron.

"You're giving me your Deluminator?" Harry clenched his fingers around the cylinder.

Ron cocked his head at the door. "The Put-Outer helped me through the dark times in the forest, Harry. It helped me to find my way back to Mione and you when things were awful, and I thought you two…"

Ron trailed off, his cheeks blushing in embarrassment. Then he carded his fingers through his hair. "Want you to have it, mate, that's all."

Harry stuck the device inside the pocket of his robes. "Thanks, I suppose. So you don't want to see the broom?"

"Nope, just wanted to give this to you."

"Fine, let's go back then."

They returned to the parlour to find Luna and Hermione arguing.

"I should think Harry knows better!" said Luna.

"I'm not arguing that, Luna. It's just that…" Hermione glanced at Harry and Ron and waved her arms at them. "Let's ask him!"

"Ask me what?" said Harry.

"Did Voldemort say anything strange in the Final Battle?"

"Not that I can recall. I was carried away and wanted it to end," explained Harry. "When I hugged him and jumped towards…"

"You hugged the Dark Lord?" said Draco, his eyes widened in surprise as his fingers gripped tightly the armrests of his chair.

Harry shrugged. "Wasn't looking forward to the confrontation, I just wanted him off balance, you know."

"Did he say anything strange that sounded like a curse? Did he speak Parsel to you?" said Ron urgently.

"Not that I can recall, Ron."

Harry bit his lip, looking at Draco's pensive face. The blond seemed to be absorbed in his thoughts; Harry noticed he took out the hawthorn wand and tapped it against his trousers.

Draco squared his shoulders and looked at the fire. "What was the prophecy again?" he said.

_"At the solstice will come a new age, bereft of impurities, and none will come after,"_ said Luna.

Draco took out his wand and swished it in a fluid and elegant motion. _"Tempus lentissimus!"_

Harry tried to lift his hand but found he couldn't move. His heart beat as usual and he still breathed; Harry could see the room clearly, but all the occupants bar Draco stood still as statues. Time moved sluggishly around him.

Draco sighed and pocketed his wand. He stood up and crossed his arms, gazing around the room. "This spell slows time around me," he said. "I came up with it when we were trapped in the dungeons during the Final Battle, and I wondered what to do if the ceiling caved on us."

He glanced at Fred. "I used a crude variant when I saved you, Fred. Otherwise the rock would've fallen too fast."

Draco glanced guiltily at Harry. "I can guess what Voldemort's curse was, Harry." He looked down at the floor and heaved a deep sigh. "In my work with Gringotts, I've researched the_ geas,_ which is this binding obligation you can't escape. I believe this is the basis of the Unbreakable Vow. As you well know, if you don't fulfil the Vow placed upon you, you die."

Draco started pacing back and forth in front of the fire. The flames flickered so slowly, Harry felt he was peering at it through the murky waters of the Black Lake.

"I reckon Voldemort placed a _geas_ upon the land," said Draco slowly. "He wanted no Muggleborns. What better way to accomplish this than casting this curse which snuffs out magic?"

He went to the table and picked up the nutcracker, muttering, "That's what's going to happen. He placed this curse, this _geas _on Stonehenge, the centre of the ley lines and a place full of ancient magic, to be released during the solstice. This is why magic is acting so strangely. As the prophecy says, a new age will come, bereft of magic. Therefore, there will be no Muggleborns which were impurities in Voldemort's view."

Harry tried desperately to speak but he couldn't move his tongue, though he could breathe easily.

"Voldemort also wanted you dead," said Draco. "Bill and I talked about the hero Cúchulainn, and I see the similarities. To save magic, Voldemort must have arranged it so you would face conflicting _geas_ which means you have to be the sacrifice once more, ever the Gryffindor soldier."

Draco's gaze slid to the red nutcracker soldier whose head he patted fondly.

"When you cast _Sectumsempra_ on me, I know you were acting under the influence of Voldemort's horcrux." Draco said with a grimace as he patted his flat abdomen. "We are bound by this residue of his magic. That's why our scars are so similar and we glow when they touch."

Draco gazed at each of the frozen occupants of the room, nodding slightly at each until he looked at Hermione. "This will give me the chance to take Harry's place and defuse the solstice curse, and hopefully escape with my life."

Hermione tried to speak but it was useless; her gaze slid from Draco's face to the table where she could see the title of one of her books. She had the glimmer of an idea as she inwardly cursed the Slytherin's cunning.

Harry wanted so to rant and rave, but nothing came out of his mouth.

Draco walked slowly towards him. "The solstice is a time of ancient magic, Harry. During the longest night, people despaired at the fleeting sun which refused to spread its warmth over the barren, snowy landscape." He leaned towards Harry, brushing his fringe with his fingers so he could look directly into Harry's eyes. "But they hoped the day would come when the sun's rays would ensure lush, green pastures."

Draco fished inside his robes and took out a glimmering jewel. He opened his fist and Harry gazed at the silver anchor which had been inside the plum pudding.

Draco paused because he wanted to tell Harry so many intimate things, like his roaring anger when Harry was a prisoner at the Manor. This fury was directed mostly at himself because Draco knew he couldn't deliver Harry to Voldemort's cruel hands, not even if he faced the Dark Lord's wrath and risked the lives of his parents. But time was running out and Draco had to act promptly.

With a weary gesture, quite unlike the Malfoy of old, Draco leaned down as he raised his hand. "This is all about hope. It's what you made me feel when I met you at Madam Malkin's. I earnestly hoped you would save us all when I was trapped in the Manor with Voldemort."

Harry's heart clenched slowly, its pain dulled by Draco's spell.

"Do you understand, Harry, that I won't ever give you up?" He gazed intently at Harry, drinking the sight of his handsome face as he murmured softly against the silver anchor, _"I love you."_

Having uttered the password, the portkey activated and transported Draco out of Grimmauld Place and into the barren plains of Stonehenge, where drunken giants hewn of stone had stood patiently for millennia.

* * *

_ tbc_


	22. In the solstice

Harry groaned, experimentally flexing his fingers to see if he could move. He gazed up at Hermione, who was rising from her chair.

"That bloody git!" growled Harry, taking out his wand. "I'm going to save him and then he'll see…"

"Harry, I would advise you to wait," said Luna.

"She's right, you're not going anywhere…" said Fred.

"… without us!" finished George.

"Mate, Hermione might have an idea or two," Ron said with a shrug.

Deciding that his friends had a point, Harry turned to Hermione. "What do you think?"

Hermione was visibly trying to control her temper whilst she stabbed the air with a leather-bound book. "I hoped Draco would help you cool down. It seems I was wrong because Malfoy has acquired your rashness!"

"Ouch, that hurt!" Fred and George said simultaneously.

"Mione, what do you think?" said Ron, making his way towards her and reaching his hand to touch her. "Is Malfoy right?"

"I want to help Draco if he's in danger," said Harry urgently. "That stuff about _geas_ and Stonehenge; is it correct?"

"Mostly." Hermione huffed, "Why didn't he wait? We could've talked it over."

She waved the book at them. "The answer is here and it's so simple!"

Harry squinted at the cover, and said wonderingly, "Plutarch? Did that bloke write about _geas _and ancient spells?"

Hermione glared at Harry, who was carding his fingers through his unruly mane.

"Parallel lives," Hermione finally said. "Why didn't Draco see it was the obvious solution?"

"Parallel lives?" repeated Harry slowly.

"I have read about _geas_ too." Hermione placed the book on the table. "Draco grasped their importance."

"Voldemort wanted magic to vanish, I reckon," said George.

Hermione nodded. "Voldemort must have placed a _geas_ in Stonehenge to snuff out magic; Merlin knows it's a powerful place. He set up an obligation he knew would never be fulfilled." She tapped the tome with her fingers. "That is where the book provides a clue."

Noting her friend's puzzled expressions, Hermione said, "You and Draco have led parallel lives. As champions of the Light and the Dark, your lives have been warped by War; as members of enemy Houses, you embodied their hopes."

"And both of you were Seekers," said Ron.

"You're saying Voldemort placed the_ geas_ on Draco and me because we led parallel lives?" said Harry.

"No, Harry," she said kindly. "Voldemort set the _geas_ so it would act unless his impossible condition was met."

"And that condition was?" said Fred.

"You have to remember that Voldemort trusted Draco," said Hermione reasonably. "He was pleased that Draco stood by him, and that was one of the reasons he hugged him. You've mentioned how angry he was when you told him about the Elder wand."

Harry nodded. "He was furious at Draco. Said he was going to kill him after he finished with me."

"Voldemort felt betrayed because he fully trusted Draco," Hermione said. "Therefore, I think the condition he set to lift the curse is for you and Draco to work as a completely united team."

"You-Know-Who was a foolish git because he didn't recognise the attraction between these two," said George.

"Couldn't agree more, old chap," said Fred.

Hermione nodded slowly. "Voldemort was brilliant, but naïve."

"What about the glow?" said Luna. "An enormous amount of magic was involved whenever it appeared."

"How do you know?" said Hermione suspiciously, but then she shrugged and muttered low under her breath, "I reckon the Snorkacks told you."

"Luna does have a point," said Harry. "There was this bright light shining when our scars touched."

"The Unbreakable Vow," said Hermione in a hushed voice.

"What do you mean?" said Ron. "I thought you just had to cast a spell for that and…"

"I know you haven't seen it in action." Hermione raised her arms in exasperation. "But don't you lot ever read?"

"Please explain yourself." said Harry patiently, his gaze straying towards the corner of the room, where he could hear a portrait coughing. He glimpsed a bearded man before he turned to look at Hermione.

"I've read that when you cast the Unbreakable Vow, there's light that shimmers around the hands of the persons involved. It's quite impressive," said Hermione, "Draco said the Unbreakable Vow was developed based on the _geas_. I'm quite sure the glow was the _geas_ trying to fulfil itself."

"So what do we do to lift the curse?" said Ron practically.

"What Voldemort thought would be impossible because Harry and Draco led parallel and opposing lives. Parallel lines never meet, you know. " Hermione mused. " Harry, you two have to show that you have fulfilled the conditions Voldemort set up by acting in harmony."

Harry nodded sternly. "When Voldemort hugged Draco he must've set the final piece of the curse in place. He could fight me afterwards, knowing that his revenge would be assured."

He brandished his wand but Ron's pressure on his arm stopped him. Ron pointed out, "Mate, remember that Apparition has been causing people to get splinched."

"And the Floo is unreliable," said Fred.

"Took us several tries to even get here," added George.

"How do I get to Draco?" said Harry agitatedly.

"Harry Potter, here!" The mumbled voice originated near the tree. Harry made his way to the corner and stared at the portrait. It was a man with a bushy white beard, clad in red robes which had bright stars. The man peered at Harry through round spectacles, the corners of his blue eyes crinkling in merriment as he regarded the Auror with kindness.

"Did you call me?" said Harry.

"It wasn't me, dear Harry!" said the man jovially. "My, you have shot up like a stout oak, lad! Haven't seen you in…"

"Get out, old man!" growled a voice Harry knew well. Phineas Nigellus ambled his way into the portrait and the smiling, rotund man stood up with a swift movement, bowing towards Harry before he dashed out of the frame, laughing merrily.

Harry shook his head, wondering if his suppositions were correct. Was Santa a wizard from Gryffindor? He decided not to share this with Draco; the memory of his boyfriend, who had rushed into danger, caused Harry to become impatient.

"What do you want?" he snapped at the portrait.

Phineas Nigellus sneered at him. "I bring a message from Narcissa. That woman had better be grateful she's a Black!"

"What is it?"

"Narcissa's message is about the silver Snitch you grabbed from the pudding." Phineas Nigellus paused, and then muttered low under his breath, "It would seem the living become crazier every year."

The portrait continued in a louder voice, "Narcissa said the Snitch is a portkey that will take you to Draco. Just picture him in your mind and…"

Harry took the tiny Snitch from his pocket and made a fist around it. He imagined Draco vividly, carrying his huge teddy bear and wearing only sexy briefs.

There was a swooshing sound, and Harry was transported into Stonehenge.

Phineas Nigellus glared at the space the Auror had occupied.

oOoOo

The first thing Harry noticed was the roaring wind which played havoc with his hair, his robes flapping around him like they did when he chased the Snitch. Harry pocketed the silver charm and his gaze swept around the barren plain; the tall menhirs surrounded him like teeth protruding from a gigantic mandible.

"Draco!" he shouted into the dusk. The heavy clouds above him swirled over the stark landscape. Judging from Fred and George's words, Harry expected to see throngs of people but there was no one.

Harry took out his wand, holding it tightly between his hands so the wind wouldn't whip it from him.

"_Point me Draco_," he said. Nothing happened; the wand was dead between his clasped fingers.

Gazing up, Harry noticed the clouds forming a funnel high above; its stem appeared to point towards the centre of the circle formed by the monoliths. Harry saw a dash of colour right there, dim in the gloomy light. It was Draco.

Harry ran towards him, waving his arms. "Draco! Draco!"

"Harry?" Draco said, but his words were swallowed by the wind. Then he shouted, waving his arms, "HARRY!"

The stem formed by roiling black clouds thickened whilst the mouth opened wide, starting to lower towards Draco and Harry. Bright sparks of lightning burst forth from the funnel.

Harry wrapped his arms tightly around Draco, his hands prodding him everywhere. "Are you fine?" he shouted, trying to be heard over the whipping wind.

"What are you doing here?" Draco placed his fist upon Harry's chest, rubbing his knuckles against the woollen robes. "I don't want you to die because of the curse!"

"Hermione said both of us…" Harry couldn't go on. Thunder hit the ground thirty yards from the place they were. Harry knew a shield wouldn't work because magic didn't work anymore.

He hugged Draco tightly, glancing down at his stomach to see if there was a glow, but there wasn't.

"Harry, run!" said Draco urgently, gazing up towards the clouds. Flashes of light burst forth every few seconds; the zigzagging lightning crashed against the monoliths in strange patterns.

The flashes multiplied, brightening the place so much, Draco had to squint so he wouldn't be blinded. Harry lifted his hand to cover his face. The light was so intense it hurt Harry's eyes; he wished he could turn off the flashes to give him time to formulate a plan.

With a start, Harry remembered he had a device he could use to remove light; the Put-Outer Ron gave him.

He fished inside his robes with trembling fingers, looping his arm tightly around Draco. After a few seconds, he lifted his hand and held the Put-Outer towards the sky.

Hermione had said that he and Draco, acting together, would satisfy the geas, so he shouted, "Help me! Grasp the Put-Outer and wish with all your heart that it works!"

Draco nodded, doing as Harry told him. Blond and black hair topped diminutive silhouettes which appeared to be nutcracker soldiers amongst the towering menhirs. Then Harry and Draco lifted their eyes to the sky and simultaneously operated the Put-Outer.

Bolts of light shot out from the clouds whilst their bodies shined brightly. In the foreboding plain, they seemed to be the wick of a lonely candle, valiantly holding out hope during the darkest hour of the solstice.

The light surrounding Harry and Draco flickered for an instant and then brightened, expanding upwards from their bodies and forming a bright, glowing cylinder that hovered, poised for a moment between earth and sky, and then exploded into a burst which contained all the colours of the rainbow. Peering towards the menhirs before the flashes forced him to close his eyes, Harry fancied he was again in the Room of Requirement during the conflagration.

The light shot up to the clouds, lighting them from within, and pale wraiths became visible dancing inside them. Draco thought he had glimpsed them before, leering down at him whilst he hung over the flames, the Fiendfyre raging around him.

The clouds pulsed once, before they started retreating towards the horizon, rushing as if a gigantic hand pulled a cover over the sky like a giant bedspread.

Harry panted in exhaustion; the burst of magic which had enveloped their bodies had drained him.

"Are you all right?" Draco patted Harry's back, wincing at his voice which seemed to boom in the deafening silence left in wake of the magical storm.

"Am fine. Reckon we managed to lift the curse."

"We did it, Harry." Draco said hoarsely, and sank on his knees on the cold ground. He took out his wand and swished it, casting a warming spell on their robes.

"I feel so tired," Draco said as Harry sat on his haunches next to him.

"Like me." Harry shrugged tiredly. "Feels like I just swam the length of the Black Lake."

They sat in silence for some time. Harry felt a pull on his sleeve and Draco nudged his elbow. "Look up."

Harry gazed at the sky. The faint stars glimmered above the remnants of the clouds marching across Salisbury Plain. Harry's hand clasped around Draco's, and the two wizards leaned on each other.

It was like this that Narcissa found them.

She strolled towards them. Lucius walked a few steps behind, his cane leaving a trail upon the snowy ground.

"Draco, Harry," Narcissa said briskly.

"Mother," Draco said, before covering his mouth with his hand and yawning discreetly.

"Narcissa." Harry nodded at her.

"Boys, it is time to go home and rest." She took from beneath her robes a white snowman ornament.

Draco groaned.

"It's a portkey." Narcissa's lips curled upward in a faint smirk directed at her son. "It will take you to your room where there is hot chocolate and your favourite sweets waiting for you two."

* * *

_tbc_


	23. The puppies

_**Warning:**__ NC-17_

* * *

Draco traced chocolate patterns on Harry's toned body, rubbing the melted sweet over his tanned skin. He leant down and licked the creamy stuff off Harry, who squirmed at the wet, scratchy tongue lapping it up his chest.

"Draco," he groaned heatedly at the thumb swirling over his erect nub.

"Mmh?" Draco tilted up his chin to gaze at him, eyes darkened by lust. He pinched the nipple between his thumb and forefinger and Harry moaned. He arched his back; his throbbing cock seeking release, he twisted his hips to brush against Draco's leg.

"Let's shag," he said hoarsely, wrapping his leg around Draco's waist.

"Thought you'd never ask." Draco's tongue licked a lazy swathe from the hollow of his collarbone, up the neck to the stubble on Harry's chin. Draco's fingers grabbed the sheets as he searched for his wand.

Draco kissed the crease of Harry's mouth which opened greedily, tongue peeking out whilst Draco's nose pressed against Harry's cheek. Their tongues entwined as Draco awkwardly swished his wand and cast the lubrication charm.

Harry squirmed on the bed at the odd, wet feeling inside him. His sweaty back rubbed against the satin sheet whilst Draco aggressively thrust his tongue into his mouth, invading his senses with the mixed taste of chocolate and Draco. He looked up at the blob of blond hair above him, reaching up his hand to card his fingers through the silky hair.

Draco caressed Harry's ankle before lifting his thigh and pushing it gently against his chest. Breaking the kiss, he crouched on his knees above Harry.

Harry's entrance twitched with need; he involuntarily bucked up his hips when he felt the fingertips dipping into his crack, rubbing his rim.

"You're hungry for me."

"Shut up." Harry groaned as the thick thumb breached him, rubbing against his walls for a moment before another finger speared his insides.

Harry clenched, smiling at Draco's heartfelt groan.

"Need to be inside you," said Draco, pressing Harry's leg against his chest so the Auror was on display to his hungry gaze. The sight of Harry's limbs splayed open, his dark cock nestled between their bodies, wet for him as it bobbed over the sculpted abs made Draco moan.

"What are you waiting for?" Harry said, his chest heaving. He moaned when the slick cockhead breached him, and shuddered after his body greedily swallowed the piercing shaft until Draco paused.

"Go on," Harry breathed against Draco's neck after the burning sensation subsided, hooking his fingers around the nape of Draco's neck.

Draco inhaled deeply Harry's scent and nodded, his head bent so low his brow rubbed against Harry's sweaty locks. He thrust up his hips, sheathing his prick inside in a swift move. Then he propped himself up on his elbows to stare at Harry, whose grimace of pain passed fleetingly. The Auror tilted up his hips and Draco smiled at the wet cockhead brushing his abs, it meant Harry was ready for the shagging to begin in earnest.

Draco raised his hips, his cock sliding out whilst Harry arched his arse off the bed, trying not to lose the wonderful thickness that stretched his walls so deliciously, rubbing all the right spots inside him. Harry closed his eyes, his fingers brushing Draco's sweaty flanks. Harry grunted when Draco slid out of him tantalisingly slow, only to plunge inside so forcefully he was pushed towards the headboard.

Draco fucked his hips into the warm, pliant body below. Harry hooked his forearm beneath his knee and pulled his leg towards his chest, leaving himself open. He brushed the fringe off Draco's forehead, wet with exertion; Harry noticed the blurry pearls of sweat which glimmered in the early morning light. Taking a deep breath, he savoured the sweet aroma remaining from their foreplay which was overlaid by their musk. He was quite sure Amortentia would pale next to it.

Harry canted up his hips when Draco's shaft rubbed against his prostate on the way out.

"There," he shouted.

Draco grunted a response and fucked him harder; the squelchy sound made by the lube leaking out of his puffy hole made Harry's cock twitch. Draco's hips beat against Harry's rump in a wild rhythm, and Harry whimpered at the scratchy feeling of the balls rubbing his buttocks when they were completely joined.

Draco glanced down at the place of their coupling, grunting at the dark, neglected cock gleaming with precome. His hand snaked down, and he swirled his thumb across the smooth, slick glans before fisting Harry's shaft.

"Don't," Harry warned, but it was too late. The shaft prodding insistently his walls, nudging his prostate, and the hand wrapped snugly around his prick was too much. Harry came with a hoarse shout, his walls squeezing Draco like a vise. The blond thrust feebly and scrambled to grab purchase on the sheets; his cock slid inside the clenching channel and then he climaxed. He thrust in and out a few more times; lifting up on his knees Draco glanced down and groaned at the sight of his come dribbling out of Harry.

With a sigh, he scooted back, his prick slipping out of Harry with a lewd popping sound. They both were panting as Draco leaned down to caress Harry. Draco kissed his brow gently and whispered 'I love you' against the zigzagging scar which was so similar to his own.

"Love you too," growled Harry. "Now let's get a move on."

"First we ought to take a bath." Draco stood up, scrunching up his face at the smell of sex pervading the room. He took out his wand and cast a cleaning charm just in case Narcissa decided to swoop down on them.

* * *

oOoOo

"Oi, you gits, open up!" Fred rapped his knuckles against the door. "We arrived last night, but your mother wouldn't let us interrupt your beauty sleep!"

"Those two are up to something!" said George. "I can hear them whimpering."

"If we hadn't stopped to chat up the house-elf…" Fred wiggled his eyebrows.

"And bribed him so he would give them our sweets…" George sighed.

"We would be on time." Fred smirked at his twin.

"Since Harry and Draco lifted the curse…" said George patiently.

"They're no longer immune to our pranks. A pity, isn't it?" Fred crossed his arms.

"Certainly, old chap." George cocked his head at the door. "For them."

Fred took out his wand and cast Alohomora, and then George opened the door.

* * *

The sound of barking drew their glances towards the white floor, where a white puppy was licking the nose of a smaller black puppy. The black dog gazed soulfully at the twins and cocked his head to the side, his tongue lolling whilst his companion barked sharply at them.

"Fred, our prank failed," George said in a serious voice.

"Why do you think so?"

"Draco's eyes are green!"

"We'll have to go back to our lab and toil some more." Fred bent down to pick up the white puppy whilst George petted the black dog.

"Fred, we can't have our customers complaining." George shuddered when the black dog licked his fingers.

Meanwhile, Fred was cradling the squirming white puppy in his arms. "That's right, we must…"

Someone knocking on the door interrupted their banter.

"Draco, are you and Harry presentable?" Narcissa said from the other side of the door.

The twins hastily hid the puppies inside their robes, casting a hurried Muffliato to absorb their yelping.

Narcissa opened the door and walked in. She cocked her hips as she stared keenly at the twins. "You two appear to be squirming with excitement."

"You could say that, Mrs Malfoy," said Fred

"Have you seen Draco and Harry?" she said, glancing around the neat room.

"Can't say I've seen the speccy git," said George.

"Neither have I," said Fred, wiggling as the puppy started scrambling up his shirt, the paws scrabbling for purchase on his belt.

Narcissa nodded. "Well then, I'll just…"

At that moment Lucius sauntered into the room, swinging his cane imperiously. "Narcissa, there you are! The house-elves have laid the tea; if only Draco would show up!"

George mumbled low under his breath, "Better have dog biscuits ready."

"Did you say something, Weasley?" Lucius drawled, staring sharply at George.

"Didn't say anything, Malfoy."

"Let's go and look for Draco," said Narcissa. "He had an appointment in London before lunch."

"We'll instruct the house-elves to look for him, dear." Lucius grasped Narcissa's elbow and the two glided out of the room.

Once they had walked far into the corridor, Lucius stopped and Narcissa lifted up her gloved hand to pat his cheek. "Dear Lucius, it is so nice to see that glint in your eyes once more, knowing it is not caused by any Dark business."

Lucius bowed to his wife, pointing his cane at the French windows that led to the garden. "I have to say I was against inviting Potter's friends."

"I know, Lucius."

He lifted his eyebrows. "However, it is delightful to see their scared expressions. We should do this more often."

* * *

oOoOo

Luna stared at the closed door and listened intently to the conversation going on inside.

"Draco, stop humping my leg!" said Ron. "Go and lick Harry, he's wiggling on Hermione's lap."

"Just let them be, Ron!" said Hermione admonishingly. "As for you, Fred and George, you'd better have the antidote ready!"

"We already tried it," said Fred in a distraught voice.

"Didn't work," growled George.

"Bill wants to talk with Draco, you know," Ron said. "Says he needs his help with a curse."

"Dawlish is pestering me!" said Hermione in exasperation. "He needs information only Harry can provide."

"He could bark the answer," Fred suggested.

"It isn't funny! You turned them into puppies!" said Hermione shrilly.

Luna smiled and opened the door. It would seem things were back to normal.

The white dog stopped humping Ron and ran towards her. The black puppy noticed the sudden movement and leapt from Hermione's lap, dashing towards Luna.

Luna bent down to pat their furry heads. "You ought to be careful of the peacocks," she said dreamily.

Hermione twisted her hands in anguish. "What will we do? They can't spend Christmas like dogs!"

"Fred and George, do something," said Ron angrily. "Do you want to face mom when Harry shows up as a puppy?"

Fred shivered and leaned on George. "Brother, we have a problem!"

"I gave them the antidote!" Fred whimpered. "The flitterbloom must have been old!"

Hermione offered her opinion and Luna piped in, their discussion masking the swooshing sound of a portkey.

"What's going on?" said Harry.

"The puppy speaks!" Fred squealed in surprise.

"Of course Harry speaks; don't talk about him like that!" growled Draco.

Fred and George turned to face the door, their faces comical in surprise. Harry and Draco stood beside the door, their eyes widened at the sight of Luna holding the white dog.

George blinked owlishly. "But... the puppies were you!"

Draco gazed at the black puppy that was rubbing against the leg of his trousers. "Those must be the pets Mother wanted."

"Your mother?" Fred exchanged a meaningful glance with George.

Draco nodded. "Father didn't want this breed, but Mother insisted."

"So what did you do in London?" said Ron.

"Mmh… nothing," Harry exchanged a glance with Draco.

Fred noted this and squinted at his twin; George nodded his approval. The strange behaviour of Harry and Draco merited further investigation.

* * *

_tbc_


	24. The Christmas cake

"Mother wants the dishes over there, Ron." Draco pointed towards the end of the table in the Manor dining hall, and then swished his wand towards the cutlery which obediently flew up in the air.

"I still can't believe Narcissa gave the house-elves the day off!" Hermione stabbed her wand at the napkins which were folding themselves in triangular shapes. "It was quite nice of her."

"Draco's mother sent the house-elves to help Santa," quipped Fred, sipping a goblet filled with mulled cider.

Harry frowned as he remembered Santa's portrait in Grimmauld Place. Narcissa had explained that Phineas Nigellus, that sneaky Black ancestor, had expressly sought her help to save them. Perhaps Santa had done the same and what Fred jokingly told them was true. The elves might be helping Santa.

"Where is Narcissa, by the way, with… Lucius?" said George tentatively.

"They are taking a stroll with Castor and Pollux," Draco said, tilting down his wand to set the cutlery in place. "Which is how they named the puppies; I wish they would've thought of something more elegant!"

Shaking his head at Draco's idea of elegant names, Harry fished inside his robes and took out the Put-Outer which he handed to Ron.

"Thanks, mate," said Ron as he pocketed it and swished his wand at a stack of bowls. "Glad it helped you."

"Why did you lend it to me?" Harry brandished his wand at some goblets which floated in a row like obedient copper soldiers before dashing towards the table.

"You started having problems with your magic," said Ron. "That worried me, and then I remembered how the Put-Outer made me feel confident because Dumbledore left it to me. I recalled how that idea warmed me when I was alone, searching for you and Mione."

"Very nice device," said Draco. "Was pretty handy to turn off the streetlights the first time I went to your place, Harry."

"So that's why you knew how to use it!" said Harry wonderingly. Then he shivered, startled at the ghostly caress against his neck. Glancing down, he saw a spoon floating upwards, touching his chin before darting away towards the table.

"Malfoy, stop molesting Harry with the cutlery!" George smirked and winked at Fred. "By the way, that gives me an idea for a new product."

"Cupid cutlery?" Fred wiggled his eyebrows at his twin. "I like the way you think."

* * *

oOoOo

"I wish you would stay for the whole dinner," Narcissa sighed wistfully and took a sip from her goblet, filled with elf wine.

"Mom expect us at the Burrow, Mrs Malfoy," Ron said, glancing at Hermione; he knew Molly wouldn't object too much if they stayed for Christmas dinner, but it was obvious that Hermione still felt uncomfortable in the Manor. Ron smiled at her, knowing that she needed time and space to heal from her gruelling experience in the War. Hermione grinned at him and reached her hand, squeezing Ron's arm as she cocked her head at the other side of the table.

Ron glanced at Harry, who had been touching Draco's arm. He smiled wryly, suspecting that few persons took life by the horns like his best mate. Most people had to wade through their issues.

"Mom expects to see you and Draco," Ron said, nodding at the two of them

"Your mother does?" Draco said in a low voice.

"You saved Fred, which put you in her good graces," Ron said patiently. "You work with Bill and, just now, you helped to save Harry. I'm sure mom will be mad if you don't show up. If you're worried about Fleur, she…"

Ron looked up at the rustling sound of a veritable parliament of owls flying into the hall. The owls were carrying a square package which they set on the table with a soft thudding noise.

"Finally, and just in time, too." Harry glanced at his watch, muttering an explanation, "The bakery assured us it would arrive before Christmas dinner."

"What is it, Potter?" drawled Lucius.

"We found this quaint shop, Lemmer and Lambrick's Magical Bakery, in Diagon Alley," said Draco. "We ordered a special Christmas cake."

"Draco and I compromised," said Harry, brandishing the wand at the box to unpack the baked good. "He wanted the cake to resemble the Manor, but I opted for Grimmauld."

They stared at the cake which was frosted with a coat of sugar on its crenulated roof, forming the tiles, and dripping from the edges like delicious stalactites. Harry's eyes widened at the candy canes that supported the porch; there was a slim confectionery tree next to it. The windows were made of orange rinds, and the ones on the first floor, just above the front door, were a bright yellow which aptly symbolised the warmth of the hearth at Christmastime.

The sugar letters forming 'welcome' on the chocolate steps emphasised the message.

"This looks delicious," said Ron, his mouth watering.

Hermione smiled warmly at Harry and Draco, who were sporting big grins.

"You left me alone when we were about to choose the cake," said Harry accusingly.

"I had to go to Gringotts and talk to Bill," said Draco, trying to appear nonchalant. Then he huffed, "You took off the moment I came back, Potter!"

"I had to check if Kreacher was doing all right," Harry said, somewhat unconvincingly.

"The attic is delicious, I've heard." Draco wiggled his eyebrows.

"You should eat the front parlour," Harry said, fidgeting on his chair.

"The house will fall," Draco pointed out, frowning.

Harry nudged the rim of his glasses, staring at Draco whilst the corner of his mouth twitched upward in a smile. "Scared, Malfoy?"

"You wish, Potter!" Draco leaned towards Harry, his foot caressing Harry's trousers.

"Merlin's beard! You two should simply use magic!" Hermione huffed and swished her wand at the cake to magically cut the pieces Harry and Draco mentioned. Presently, the two slices flew through the air and settled softly on the plates in front of them.

"Spoilsport," growled George.

"Right," said Fred. "We wanted to see if the cake collapsed!"

Meanwhile, Narcissa lifted her goblet in a silent toast directed at her husband. Lucius nodded and smiled briefly at her, the candlelight shining on his long silver mane. They knew precisely what was going on, having been notified by the wards on the Malfoy vaults at Gringotts.

Draco's fork cut a precise swath through the soft, spongy treat before he raised it and bit daintily, staring all the while at Harry with a hungry gaze.

Harry shuddered as he made stabbing motions with his fork, which sank on the cake until it reached something unyielding. Harry used his knife to spread the cake until he glimpsed an incongruous black shape; it was a small jewellery box.

Harry smiled when he heard Draco gasping, knowing what his boyfriend had found in the cake.

Draco lifted his fork, upon which a small box rested. He put it on the plate and took out his wand from beneath his robes, cleaning the two boxes from the cake residue. With a sigh, he nodded at Harry.

The two opened their boxes with trembling fingers.

Harry smiled at the thin golden ring nestled inside the box. It had an emerald in the centre, flanked by two small diamonds. He earnestly hoped Draco would like the heirloom ring he got from Grimmauld Place. It was white-gold and bore the Potter crest of arms.

He tilted down his chin to stare at his boyfriend through his fringe, saying quietly, "Will you marry me, Draco?"

"Of course I will, Harry!"

Draco glanced at Lucius, who nodded at him as he lifted his goblet, saluting the two wizards with a curt nod.

"Draco, in the darkest days of war I despaired of your life," Lucius said quietly, his voice lacking the usual drawl. "I'm glad you found Potter… I mean Harry."

Narcissa touched gently his arm and Lucius turned to nod at her. Then he said in a louder voice, "Having my family alive and by my side is Christmas enough for me; it's why I told Harry about the curse, I trusted he would keep it from coming true."

Then Lucius raised his goblet at Draco. "Son, seeing you happy is the icing on the cake."

Draco grinned at his father as he slipped the engagement ring on Harry's finger

Harry beamed at Draco, his thumb caressing the pale wrist before he did the same with his fiancé.

The two wizards fell to eating the cake, trying to answer the questions his friends shot at them from every side.

The sound of their banter and talk was accompanied by the tinkling of the dishes. The whispers, heated voices, and laughter lent a festive air to this special Christmas in Malfoy Manor.

* * *

_Next, the conclusion_


	25. Epilogue: Solstices of magic

"Your report is quite detailed, Lovegood."

"I'm glad you think so, sir." Luna peered at her boss over the edge of her glasses.

Mr Bedloe gazed at the purple-tinted spectacles which had stems shaped like tentacles. He sighed patiently; Luna's strange ways made her a very good Unspeakable. No one had ever suspected she worked for the Department, except those pesky Weasley twins.

He glanced at the parchment, his thumb rubbing against an ink blot which resembled his daughter's Puffskein. "About Fred and George Weasley…"

"No one would ever believe them, Mr Bedloe," Luna said. "And I convinced them to keep their silence."

"Excellent, Lovegood." Bedloe leaned towards her and said in a low voice, "What about Malfoy?"

"He won't pose any trouble, sir," Luna said firmly. "He's busy with Harry Potter, and Narcissa Malfoy offered to run interference for me."

"That's good." Bedloe shuddered at his recollection of the poised and calculating Mrs Malfoy. Unfortunately, she had rebuffed the offer made by his predecessor to form part of the Unspeakables.

* * *

oOoOo

Harry sauntered into the bedroom, his shoes leaving a wet trail upon the marble floor.

"Did you have to hit me?" growled Draco, rubbing the edge of his fur hat. He could swear it was still wet from the snowballs, even after several drying charms.

"Reckon you shouldn't have built those snowmen."

"I had to seize the opportunity because the snow won't last forever, you know." Draco caressed Harry's shoulder before dashing towards the bathroom.

"It won't, but we'll have many more winters together," Harry said quietly, before noticing a postcard on the night table.

The dash of blue caught his attention and Harry peered down, sighing at the beautiful beach whose sand appeared as pristine as the snow, the sea just the same aquamarine shade of the sky on Christmas morning whilst he and Draco built snowmen. A Santa hat was on the beach, next to the _'Merry Christmas'_ someone had scrawled on the sand.

Harry smiled at the padding sounds coming from the bathroom, inhaling deeply the scent of cologne and wet snow that would be indelibly mixed with the memory of Christmas from now on.

"That's from Pansy," Draco said, peering over Harry's shoulder, his breath ghosting against the Auror's cheek. "She went to the Caribbean with Blaise."

"She did?"

"Pansy knows I get sad on Christmas," Draco explained. "It wasn't a very cheerful time for us when we were growing up, though Pansy always managed to cheer me up."

"Do you feel melancholy now?"

"Not at all." Draco's fingers traced a path along the stem of Harry's glasses before brushing against his cheek. "Now I have you, Harry."

"And you will, for quite a bit longer."

"I should hope for the rest of our lives." Draco stepped back, heaving a deep sigh. "Heard Mother on the Floo, she was talking to Mrs Weasley."

"Fighting?" said Harry.

"Not exactly; they were discussing the advantages of a June wedding."

"You heard Molly during Christmas dinner; she offered the Burrow for our wedding," said Harry, and then he grinned broadly. "Right before she scolded Fred and George for eating the roof of the gingerbread house."

* * *

oOoOo

**Stonehenge, Salisbury Plain  
21 June**

The monoliths stood erect in the distance, dark sentinels amidst a sea of green. The visitors for the summer solstice snaked their way amongst the menhirs, their clothes a bright dash of colour against the verdant grass.

"The reception is tiring," Harry said with a shrug. "I've been up all night because of wedding jitters, and having to stand there and greet everyone…"

"I know, Harry," Draco turned to face him and Harry's breath caught in his chest. The blond looked very handsome clad in Malfoy ceremonial robes, twirling his wand between his fingers whilst he smirked. "Brought you here so we could relax."

"The pesky reporters kept asking questions," Harry huffed. "Not to mention the Ministry workers fawning over me!"

Harry scuffed his dragonhide boots on the ground, breathing the scent of crushed grass that reminded him of Quidditch days, flying high above Hogwarts as he chased after the Snitch.

"Bores you to death, I know too well." Draco sighed, rubbing his wand on the soft cloth of the satin sash. "Dealing with my parents' guests is more nerve-wracking than breaking curses!"

"Any regrets, Malfoy-Potter?" said Harry, sticking his hands inside the pockets of his trousers.

"None whatsoever, Potter-Malfoy, except that we have to come back. You know Mother and Molly won't be pleased if we stay away any longer."

Harry searched the pockets of his robes and took out his shrunken broom. He enlarged it wandlessly and swung his leg over the hovering stick, calling to Draco, "Hop in."

Draco looked over Harry's shoulder towards the plain he'd visited as a child. The stone giants were the same, but his circumstances and feelings had changed so much it took his breath away. Sighing wistfully, he leaned forward to tap his wand against Harry, and then he twirled it around himself.

"Why don't we Apparate?" Draco shivered at the uncomfortable feeling of the Disillusionment Charm.

"I want to fly over Stonehenge," said Harry.

Draco nodded and mounted the broom, snuggling against Harry's back as he looped his arms around the Auror's toned abdomen.

The two wizards swooped up in the air and flew towards the summer clouds. Harry gazed at the circle of stones far below; they looked so small from this vantage point, he fancied they were Lego pieces abandoned by Dudley.

The wind flapped their robes, ruffling their artfully coiffed hair.

"This is familiar," said Draco loudly. "Do you remember the _Fiendfyre_?"

"I had to save you," Harry said absently as he stared straight ahead, searching for a break in the cloud cover; he wanted to swoop beneath the clouds and gaze once more at Salisbury Plain.

"I know." Draco held tight to Harry. "I love you."

"Love you too, Draco. Now hold on!"

Having looked upon the stone giants which kept vigil over solstices of magic and life, Harry reared up the broom which swerved towards the Manor.

Harry and Draco disappeared inside the wispy clouds woven out of summer heat, and dashed towards their future.

* * *

**THE END**


End file.
